Into The Sea

Lan Wu clenched her fists, her eyes red as she stared at the black-clad figures outside the barrier. “Bastards…” She staggered to her feet, walking towards them. “You damn bastard!”

Suddenly, a loud crash made Lan Wu flinch. She looked around and saw that a hole had been torn in the barrier. The jade-masked figures scrambled to escape. Lan Wu gritted her teeth, her fingers flying as she instantly set up a simple teleportation formation at the breach. “You’re not getting away!”

Her movements were incredibly swift. The people who had just squeezed through the barrier didn’t have time to react before stepping into the teleportation formation and falling back in front of Ji Lingyue.

“You…”

The man’s eyes widened in terror as he stared at the woman’s calm expression, as if he were facing the King of Hell himself.

Thick demonic energy surged into his mouth and nose. In the howling wind, he raised his head in agony, his hands clutching Ji Lingyue’s wrists as he used his last ounce of strength to scream, “Thunder Talisman!”

With a deafening roar, golden lightning split the night sky, piercing the barrier and heading straight for Ji Lingyue.

She let out a soft hum, swiftly severing the man’s arms and tossing him toward the oncoming thunder.

Meanwhile, she transformed her energy into a sword and flew after the remaining fleeing figures.

After the earth-shaking thunderclap, the brilliant golden light was swallowed by the dark night. A charred corpse landed stiffly on the ground.

Ji Lingyue’s power was overwhelming.

The moment her demonic energy touched them, it brought a burning pain that went to the bone. Those she caught up with were drenched in cold sweat, their bodies so stiff they could barely move. Some, seeing no escape, turned back, attacking her with a desperate, last-ditch effort.

Ji Lingyue scanned them, reaching out to deflect a sword coming from her right. But just before impact, her hand twisted, moving up the sword to the man’s wrist. With a sudden pull, the sword plunged into another’s body.

After the initial strike, she shattered the wrist in her hand, and as the man cried out in pain, she caught the falling sword, ducking under a hail of ice spikes from behind.

With a dull thud, the ice spike embedded itself in the chest of the man she had been holding. Ji Lingyue released him, her steps light and fluid as she spun around and hurled the bloodstained sword into the distance.

Whoosh!

The silver blade pierced through a body and embedded itself in the ground. The tall black figure collapsed, revealing Lan Wu who had been behind him.

“…”

Lan Wu hadn’t had time to react. She looked down at the sword hilt still vibrating, then back up at Ji Lingyue. The woman was gazing at her from afar, her expression filled with concern. Lan Wu was about to smile reassuringly when her face changed again.

She noticed that the entire barrier was now covered in fine cracks, golden shards falling like a rain of gold.

It was about to collapse completely.

This wasn’t a small hole that a teleportation formation could fix. Lan Wu coughed, her voice hoarse. “Ah Yue, don’t let them escape!”

Ji Lingyue nodded. The mist-like demonic energy transformed into thick tendrils, aggressively chasing after the scattering figures.

Meanwhile, Qi Yueyao was crouching down, examining the corpses. She removed a mask and looked at it, disgusted. “This face… what happened to it?”

Wen Shiyu also frowned. “It looks… different from those who were drained by Miss Ji.”

Those drained of their power had faces withered like tree bark. These people’s faces looked like they had been dissolved by bone-melting acid, leaving them pitted and skeletal.

After thinking for a moment, she took the mask from Qi Yueyao and rubbed the inside with her finger, then sniffed it. “Hmm, it seems like it was coated with some kind of drug.”

Qi Yueyao was alarmed, quickly creating a bubble of water to wash her hand. “Wash it off! Why do you keep touching things without thinking? Don’t you care if your hand rots?”

Wen Shiyu smiled and nodded, washing her hand clean before carefully putting the mask into her storage ring.

The screams continued to echo from above, but the two women seemed oddly relaxed. Qi Yueyao cradled her silver spear, watching the scene with a mix of awe and relief. “It’s a good thing she’s on our side.”

Wen Shiyu was about to agree when she noticed something unusual. She frowned, looking at the distant horizon. Under the pale moonlight, a dense mass of black dots was moving rapidly across the desert, quickly approaching them.

After a moment, her eyes widened in shock. “Demons!”

Qi Yueyao was stunned. “Demons?”

“They must have been drawn by the thunder talisman. Well, with such a big commotion, it would be strange if they didn’t notice.” Wen Shiyu reacted, turning to shout, “Miss Lan, demons are coming!”

Lan Wu was startled. “Demons?”

She turned her head suspiciously, only to see a horde of green-skinned, fanged demons rushing toward them. Her eyes widened in shock. “Ah Yue, demons are coming!”

The barrier had completely disappeared. The remaining dozen or so figures flew out, heading straight for the approaching demon horde. Ji Lingyue looked down and saw that the remaining figures she had left alive had all passed out, foaming at the mouth. Her face darkened, and without a word, she pursued the fleeing figures.

Qi Yueyao was puzzled. “Why are they running toward the demons?”

Wen Shiyu thought for a moment. “If they ran anywhere else, Miss Ji would catch them. But in the chaos of the demon horde, they might have a slim chance of survival.”

Sure enough, as Ji Lingyue chased the figures into the demon horde, she was immediately surrounded by several dark figures. Spells and demonic arts flew everywhere, painting the sky in a dazzling array of colors. The small patch of desert became as lively as a bustling marketplace.

Ji Lingyue blasted away one group of demons, only to be surrounded by another, making it difficult to move forward. Just then, a voice shouted from deep within the horde. “There are more cultivators ahead! Capture them!”

Dozens of demons responded, rushing towards Wangliang City. Ji Lingyue was startled, instinctively looking back at Lan Wu and the others.

Should she keep chasing, or go back?

She bit her lip, then suddenly turned back, transforming into black butterflies and flying towards Lan Wu.

“Quickly, get up,” Lan Wu said, helping Danbai to her feet. “Can you still fly?”

Danbai nodded. “Yes.”

“Good, let’s go.” Lan Wu stepped onto her spirit sword. When Danbai transformed into a white crane, she helped Danqing onto her back. “Hurry, let’s go!”

Danbai said, “I can carry you…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you even have enough spiritual energy left?” Lan Wu gave her a push. “I can fly on my own.”

Danbai looked back at her, hesitating. “Then keep up…”

“Why are you talking so much?” Lan Wu gave her another shove, watching as she finally spread her wings and took off. Lan Wu then manipulated her spirit sword to rise into the air. “Miss Qi, Miss Wen?”

Qi Yueyao’s voice rang out from above. “Worry about yourself! We’re already flying!”

Lan Wu fell silent, turning to look at the dense swarm of shadows rushing toward them. She hoped to catch a glimpse of Ji Lingyue among them, but instead, her eyes landed on someone else.

“Qing Zibai?”

She stared at the man lying on the ground, laughing foolishly, and gasped. “How could I have forgotten about him?”

Danbai said urgently, “Why are you saving him?”

Lan Wu turned and dove downward. “He might still be useful!”

As she landed next to Qing Zibai, the sound of approaching footsteps was almost upon them. Lan Wu grabbed his collar, barely managing to lift off a few feet before a long howl echoed behind her.

A giant beast leaped onto the wall. In the clear moonlight, its rapidly approaching body shrank, transforming into a slender figure who knocked Lan Wu off her sword, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Lan Wu gasped, looking up to see a pair of narrow, jade-green eyes. Her body tensed, her fingers silently forming a seal as she prepared to strike. But then, the figure spoke in a surprised, teasing voice. “Lan Wu?”

The voice was light and playful, yet somehow familiar.

Lan Wu froze, looking at her again. Somehow, the beast-like eyes had become round and curious. “You’re not dead!”

Lan Wu’s lashes fluttered in disbelief. “Yao Zhu?”

“It’s me!” Yao Zhu beamed with joy. “Heavens, you’re really alive!”

She straightened up, about to pull Lan Wu up, when she felt a tremendous force wrap around her waist and send her flying.

“…”

Lan Wu looked at the black figure flying away, then turned back, meeting Ji Lingyue’s anxious gaze. “Are you okay?”

“I…” Lan Wu replied slowly, “I’m fine…”

Ji Lingyue was still shaken, holding Lan Wu tightly as she whispered, “Let’s go.”

Lan Wu came back to her senses. “Qing Zibai…”

Ji Lingyue nodded, using a tendril of demonic energy to grab him. Just as the dense horde of demons closed in, they shot into the sky like the wind.