Wayfarer

Days later, in the evening, within a forested region of Fengdu, black smoke spread far and wide around the forest. It was most concentrated in a certain valley, a three-hundred-meter-wide circular depression into an abyss. A malevolent aura filled the air.

The mountain peaks around the abyss were filled with soldiers from Fengdu. Lan Jiguang and the nine commanders had all brought their troops, prepared to deal with the demons that emerged from it.

Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Jiguang stood at the peak of a mountain range, looking at the mountains in the vicinity.

"Yin's standing by Commander Lie Yang's side. He's here too! It looks like his target is within the abyss," Lan Jiguang murmured.

"Why is it that demons only emerge from the abyss during the full moon? Don't they come out under ordinary circumstances?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"This abyss is likely the doorway into an illusory realm that has been sealed. Only during the full moon will the seal loosen and allow for passage in and out. That said, ordinary cultivators wouldn't be able to do so."

"Oh?"

"The divine empire of Dayin sent a delegation over to investigate. The Immortals headed inside, and they remained for an entire month. None of the Human or Earth Immortals made it out; only a Heaven Immortal, body drenched in blood, escaped. He said that hell lay within, that something deeply sinister and malevolent was there. Then, he too died."

"It's that dangerous?"

"That's right. My wife was a Heaven Immortal when she was dragged within, and Heaven Immortals can make it out of the abyss. That's why I think she may have survived. I've been cultivating earnestly in order to become a Heaven Immortal and descend to search for her myself," Lan Jiguang said resolutely.

"Why not ask for assistance from the Shangqing holy land?"

"My wife's brother is an expert Heaven Immortal and entered the abyss himself. When he emerged, he too was weakened for a long period of time. He said that he couldn't find my wife." Lan Jiguang sighed.

"In other words, a Heaven Immortal can enter and make it out safely?"

"Not necessarily. My brother-in-law cultivates the Shangqing Blue Moon, which is particularly devastating against cursed effigies. That was how he made it out—and even then, he had to recuperate for an extended period of time back in the Shangqing holy land."

Just then, as the full moon rose, the bright moonlight beamed into the abyss, forming what seemed like a pale, ghostly hand. Black smoke surged forth from between its fingers like an inverted fall, dyeing the skies black.

"This looks a bit like the Heaven's Hand seal..." Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

Suddenly, fierce howls came from the abyss.

"Everyone, watch out. The demons are about to break out of the seal. All forces, prepare to slaughter the demons!" Lan Jiguang commanded.

"Understood!" the soldiers all around replied.

The next moment, the first demon emerged from deep within the abyss, a humanoid creature with festering skin and a dull look in its eyes. Deathly aura manifested around it; it was like a zombie. It twisted its head and made a rictus of a smile, a radiant, rainbow-colored chain in its hands jingling as it moved.

"Is that an Immortal relic?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"That's right. There are frequent injuries and even deaths here during the fighting, but why do you think the forces continue to gather here so earnestly? It isn't mainly because of the fortune conferred by the divine empire of Dayin, but rather the Immortal relics that these abyssal demons bring with them. That said, Immortal relics are still extremely rare—so what's going on now? The first demon out had an Immortal relic!" Lan Jiguang seemed somewhat perplexed.

"An Immortal relic! Everyone, attack!" someone shouted.

"Attack!" The cultivators charged forward.

The demon raised its head. Seeing the cultivators charging toward him, it howled and flung out the chains in its hands.

The chains glowed with blinding light and bound a dozen or so cultivators all at once.

"I can't move! Save us, Commander!" the bound cultivators cried out.

Unexpectedly, the demon was far faster than it appeared. Within moments, it had dragged all the cultivators toward the abyss.

"You won't get away with this!" one commander shouted, launching himself at the demon.

He bisected the demon, but it had tossed the chain of bound cultivators into the abyss before its death.

"Save us!" Desolate cries came from deep within, but no one dared to brave the perils of the abyss.

"The Immortal relic!" the other cultivators roared.

The two halves of the demon landed on the ground and continued to crawl toward other cultivators.

"You're trying to continue making a mess even after being split in two? Die!" the commander shouted.

With a slash of his sword, the demon was ripped apart and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Then, even more demons climbed out of the abyss, lacking any semblance of rationality. They roared and charged toward the cultivators all around them, as though intending to drag the whole world into the abyss.

Shouts rang out as the armies made their move, slaughtering the demons en masse.

The fighting raged on by the mouth of the abyss.

Then, another demon showed up with the rainbow chains from before.

"That Immortal relic is back. We can't let it escape again. Quick, attack!"

"Kill!"

The fighting grew more and more violent.

Xiao Nanfeng and Lan Jiguang stood vigilant, not yet having made a move.

"Are all these demons cursed slaves?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

He had seen plenty of cursed slaves within the undying realm. With the exception of an extremely rare few who were able to retain their rationality even as cursed slaves, the rest were essentially dead. Their physical bodies would slowly decompose until they became zombie-like, just like the demons in front of them.

"They are, but they're different from usual. These cursed slaves emanate some form of deathly aura. Although their physical bodies are decomposing, they can regenerate within the abyss. We once encountered a cursed slave whose arms we cut off before it managed to escape back into the abyss. Years later, it showed up again. By then, however, its physical body had decomposed even further. That's why we refer to these cursed slaves as demons."

"Oh? These demons are all mutated cursed slaves, then? In other words, the cursed effigy deep within the abyss must be sending them out with the goal of capturing more prisoners to be made into cursed slaves..."

Lan Jiguang nodded with some distaste.

"Could your wife have become a cursed slave, Senior Uncle?" Xiao Nanfeng continued, worried.

"As long as she remains alive. She cultivates the Taiqing Blue Moon, and it may help her preserve her sanity. Once I find her, I'll immediately bring her to the Shangqing holy land for treatment. There might yet be a chance." Lan Jiguang replied steadfastly, though there was a glimmer of worry in his features.

His wife could indeed still be alive, but that chance was vanishingly slim.

"So many demons—and they're all carrying Immortal relics!"

"This many Immortal relics?!"

Many of the cultivators cried out as a group of demons surged out from the abyss with dozens of Immortal relics in hand.

"Commanders, we won't have to fight for treasure this time. Whoever kills these demons shall be rewarded with their relics, haha!" one commander exclaimed.

The fighting grew even more intense.

"These demons are as strong as Human Immortals..."

"Why are there so many demons? I won't be able to hold on much longer!"

Gradually, the demons seemed to gain the upper hand.

"Master, something's wrong! The demons this time are far stronger and more numerous than before. There are almost ten times the number—something's going to happen!" Chang Bing shouted from afar.

By then, all three hundred members of the Green Battalion had taken to the battlefield. They were particularly strong, and their attacks formed tempests over the battlefield. However, the demons that they faced were incredibly strong as well, and growing even stronger. Gradually, they were able to form defensive lines that held back the Green Battalion in full.

"At least a hundred demons with the strength of Human Immortals, and some Earth Immortals, too... What's going on today?!" Lan Jiguang cried out.

Ye Dafu and the others, astonished, looked toward Xiao Nanfeng as they awaited his orders.

"Gather together. Focus on the safety of our troops first. If everyone's set, then help out the Green Battalion," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

"Understood!" Ye Dafu and his lackeys replied.

The abyss continued to howl. The black smoke emanating from the abyss grew thicker and more concentrated. The situation quickly spiraled out of control as all the commanders' forces were suppressed. More and more cultivators were being pulled into the abyss as screams filled the air.

"Activate the defensive formation around Fengdu!" Lan Jiguang commanded.

"Understood!" voices chorused from the direction of the city.

The formation activated in a burst of golden light.

Lan Jiguang was about to charge forward when Xiao Nanfeng held him back by the shoulder. "Senior Uncle, look at the sky!"

"Hm?" Lan Jiguang turned in the direction that Xiao Nanfeng was pointing toward.

At some point, Yin had risen into the sky. His back to the full moon, his eyes demonic, he bellowed.

His bellow echoed across the air, causing everyone to shudder. The demons suddenly stopped short and looked up at the sky.

Black smoke bubbled from Yin's body. The black smoke slowly condensed in the form of a giant, demonic tiger. It bellowed once again.

The demons immediately prostrated themselves, letting go of their opponents, flying into the air, and into the tiger's mouth.

Yin swallowed up the countless demons emerging from the abyss in a continuous stream.

Everyone gaped. Even a Heaven Immortal wouldn't be this strong. Just how much stronger was Yin?

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