Chapter 338

The night was cool as water, and the lake light was like a mirror.

A fishing boat drifted on the shore of Zhuhu Lake, swaying with the cool breeze and rising and falling with the waves.

The painting tools were scattered messily on the bow, and bright oil inks had splashed out, making the old, dilapidated boat appear even dirtier and more chaotic.

The old painter rested his chin on one hand and beat time with the other. His eyes were slightly closed, and the radio played the singing style of old-fashioned opera, "yi-ya-yi-ya," echoing in the cold night, blending with the sound of the waves, which had a unique charm.

"I only wait for the heavens to be desolate and the earth to be exhausted; how could I let a True Dragon enter an ant's nest..."

The old painter hummed in a low voice, his breathing long and steady.

Hum...

Suddenly, the singing on the radio stopped abruptly, accompanied by "chi-la, chi-la" electronic noise.

"Hmm!?"

The old painter slowly opened his eyes, and ripples spread across the surrounding lake surface.

He stood up slowly and looked at the sky. His old, graying eyebrows raised, and his slightly sunken eyes revealed a look of solemnity.

"The sky tonight... is truly black."

The old painter muttered, his voice dissolving slowly like the water of the lake, with no known destination.

Qin Gu small town, One-Person Alley.

Inside the quiet courtyard, Qiu Shangqing sat cross-legged. The moonlight spilling onto him seemed to breathe, rising and falling with his figure.

Just at this moment, the silvery-white moonlight suddenly dissipated, like black clouds covering the moon, like an abyss sinking the stars.

"Hmm!?"

Qiu Shangqing raised an eyebrow, and his eyes opened abruptly. He looked up and saw the great moon hanging high in the sky, still clear.

"Uncle Shangqing, what's wrong?"

Beside him, Qiu Buyi also awakened from his state of cultivation. Being able to cultivate beside a master of the Three Tian Shi realm was a rare experience and a great opportunity.

Because such an existence is in a state of unity between heaven and man at all times; to learn from this is to learn from nature.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qiu Buyi felt his mind open again, and many mysteries and joints he could not understand in the past suddenly became clear at this moment.

He was immersed in it when he suddenly sensed a change in Qiu Shangqing's state of mind, like ripples rising on a calm lake, constantly expanding, and even he was affected.

"Dark as a prison... why is the sky tonight so dark?" Qiu Shangqing said with a solemn expression.

"Dark? Where is it dark?"

Qiu Buyi looked at the sky, looking blank.

At this time, the great moon hung high, and the stars were dotted, which was rarely clear.

"The sky has changed!" Qiu Shangqing muttered.

At this moment, the vast firmament in the eyes of this Three Tian Shi realm expert was pitch black, like a ten-thousand-zhang abyss, like the nine heavens sinking into the earth; heavenly light could not emerge, earthly light could not rise, everything was chaotic and confused, and all things were lost.

Jiangbei Province, Zhenwu Mountain.

Behind Nanxuan Palace.

"The Immortal Jin Dan is planted in soil and sand; everyone will know to leave home early. With one heart, I only hope for the path of longevity; killing gods and killing demons..."

"Killing gods and killing demons..."

"Hahaha, all killed, all killed, empty and vast... empty and vast... it is done... it is done..."

A burst of crazy roaring came from the ancient cave behind the mountain, accompanied by the sound of heavy chains colliding, making people's hair stand on end and their scalps tingle.

"Brother Pojie, the Junior Master is becoming increasingly insane."

Under the night, a handsome-faced Daoist looked at the cliff behind the mountain and couldn't help but say.

"The method the Junior Master is cultivating is extraordinary; seeking the Dao from demons is derived from the Divine Demon Sacred Fetus... Sigh... a single thought of difference leads to eternal damnation..." Daoist Pojie sighed leisurely, his eyes brimming with a hint of admiration.

The path to the Dao is long; looking back, there are only three or five people. Throughout history, how many have truly attained longevity?

Even so, there are still people who live for it, die for it, and go mad for it.

This kind of madness requires great perseverance; it is sad but respectable.

"Let's go!" Daoist Pojie waved his hand.

At this very moment, that ancient cave was the most dangerous place on the entire Zhenwu Mountain, and no one could approach it casually.

Hum...

Suddenly, a light hum rang out, coming from the cliffs of Nanxuan Palace, like a dragon's roar, like a sword's hum.

"Hmm!?"

Daoist Pojie's expression changed abruptly, and he looked up suddenly.

Hum... hum...

The humming vibration became increasingly sharp and terrifying, accompanied by rolling gravel falling from the cliff. In an instant, the entire Nanxuan Palace trembled faintly.

"Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian!?"

Daoist Pojie's eyes leaped, revealing an expression of disbelief.

Since Lu Zu, this sword had been left on Zhenwu Mountain, and the Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian had been passed down for over six hundred years...

This wooden sword had weathered wind and rain, and in the eyes of outsiders, it was merely a scenic spot on Zhenwu Mountain, but it had never been like today, manifesting itself and descending with wonder.

Hum... hum...

The Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian vibrated more and more violently, and the terrifying aura made the entire Nanxuan Palace tremble faintly. The roaring sound in the ancient cave behind the mountain also stopped abruptly at this moment.

"Brother, what's going on?" The young Daoist beside him said, trembling.

At this time, his legs were weak, and he felt as if his spiritual platform between his eyebrows was about to crack; his Nascent Soul was trembling, unable to control itself.

"Quick, quick, go invite Master!" Daoist Pojie shouted loudly.

This sword was left by Lu Zu, a Pure Yang Dharma treasure; once it manifests, it is no small matter. On Zhenwu Mountain, only Chu Chaoran could completely subdue it.

Whoosh...

Just at this moment, the mountain wind whistled. Daoist Pojie felt his eyes blur, and a figure stood on the cliff. The wide robe fluttered in the wind. At this moment, the massive Zhenwu Mountain seemed much smaller beneath him.

"Master!" Daoist Pojie called out in a lost voice.

"Old friend, don't be impatient!"

Chu Chaoran whispered, his right hand reaching out gently.

Hum...

The next moment, the Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian flew through the air and landed in Chu Chaoran's palm.

Rumble...

A wonderful aura emerged leisurely, reaching the firmament above and suppressing the netherworld below. The Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian suddenly quieted down, with only a low hum echoing, like the sobbing of the mountain wind.

"Master, what just happened?" Daoist Pojie recovered, his eyes filled with doubt.

"If not a great enemy, then an old friend." Chu Chaoran looked at the Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian in his hand and said an inexplicable sentence.

"Hmm!?"

Daoist Pojie and the young Daoist looked at each other, not understanding the meaning.

"Hang it back."

Just at this moment, Chu Chaoran threw it casually, actually tossing the Pure Yang Chunyang Fa Jian to Daoist Pojie.

Daoist Pojie panicked and hurriedly caught it. The inconspicuous wooden sword felt like it weighed a thousand jin in his hand, making him feel incredibly terrified and uneasy.

"Remember to tie it securely with thicker wire; don't let it slide down." Chu Chaoran instructed.

"Should we fence off this place later and charge for admission?" Chu Chaoran pondered.

"..."

"Master, this is a Pure Yang Dharma treasure; using it to collect tickets to make money... is not very good."

Daoist Pojie's voice trembled, feeling the wooden sword in his palm tremble slightly, as if sword intent was about to emerge.

"Then take it to make a mold first, and later customize it in batches to sell as merchandise."

Chu Chaoran waved his large hand and disappeared from the eyes of Pojie and the young Daoist.

Qin Gu small town, South Long Street.

The chaotic black trajectory was like a great dragon, tearing through the long sky and crushing the starlight.

That chaotic darkness was like a ten-thousand-zhang abyss, dragging all surrounding brilliance into it; the heavens could not emerge, the earth could not carry, all methods were buried in chaos, and all things sank.

Zhang Fan watched, his pupils leaping. He had never seen such pure violence, such pure terror.

The body of a dignified Fasting Head realm expert was pierced by that touch of chaotic blackness, and the Inner Dan, known as the essence of the Xuan Sect, was even more vulnerable, almost being shattered violently at a speed visible to the naked eye.

One must know that Zhang Esha's Inner Dan was an existence capable of contending with the White Bone Relic.

However, in front of that black radiance, it was as fragile as tofu.

The most terrifying thing was that this thing eliminated everything on a physical level; even Zhang Esha's Nascent Soul could not escape. It was as if it had been directly erased; the Nascent Soul entered the void, sank into the nine abysses in an instant, without leaving even a trace.

Rumble...

Zhang Esha's body, Inner Dan, and Nascent Soul... all disintegrated in an instant. The terrifying aura was surging, and that touch of chaotic blackness was like an abyss, seemingly still expanding, actually rushing toward Zhang Fan.

Just at this moment, a figure flashed and blocked in front of Zhang Fan. She hugged Zhang Fan tightly and threw herself backward, letting the black aftermath surge over like a tide.

"Miaoyin..." Zhang Fan's eyes widened, shock showing in them.

Hum...

Li Miaoyin hugged Zhang Fan tightly. Her delicate body trembled, and her face turned pale instantly.

The chaotic black aftermath retreated like a tide. In the sky, the black iron piece fell down, landing on the ground with a crisp sound, echoing through the cold street.

"Miaoyin..."

Li Miaoyin's body went limp, and she leaned into Zhang Fan's arms, her face pale, but sweat beads seeped from her forehead.

"I saw you didn't come back, so I came to find you. You owe me again." Li Miaoyin calculated the account.

"How are you?" Zhang Fan asked hurriedly.

"Idiot, do I look like I'm fine?" Li Miaoyin gritted her teeth.

"Where are you hurt? Let me see."

"See what? Where do you want to see?" Li Miaoyin lowered her gaze and couldn't help but scold.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Let's go back first."

Li Miaoyin comforted Zhang Fan.

Fortunately, that was just the aftermath, and they were separated by a great distance; the power that actually reached Li Miaoyin had been weakened to the extreme.

But even so, her body was unable to move.

"Miaoyin..."

At this time, the distance between Li Miaoyin and Zhang Fan was unprecedentedly close, and a strange feeling rose in the latter's heart.

In that instant just now, he was both shocked and worried.

Shocked by Li Miaoyin's sudden appearance, worried... or rather, afraid; he was afraid that this woman would die here for him.

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan's hands tightened subconsciously.

Li Miaoyin felt pain, but she seemed to notice the change in Zhang Fan's emotions. She just looked up and said with some worry: "Don't be nervous, I'm fine."

"If you are like this, you will be caught by others' flaws."

"Emotional impulsiveness is not a good thing."

"No one can take you as my flaw." Zhang Fan's expression returned to normal, but his tone was unprecedentedly firm.

"Cough... cough..."

Just at this moment, a dry cough came from the night.

Zhang Fan and Li Miaoyin turned to look and discovered that something had walked over. Looking closely, it was Ge Shuangxiu.

"I really didn't mean to disturb you, but this is really not the place to talk."

Ge Shuangxiu looked at the sick couple in front of him, his expression slightly awkward.

"You didn't leave." Zhang Fan gritted his teeth.

At this time, he was also incomparably weak.

"Nonsense, if I left you alone, would I still be human?" Ge Shuangxiu rolled his eyes.

"Wait a minute, take that thing with you."

Zhang Fan pointed to the black iron piece lying not far away.

"This..." Ge Shuangxiu hesitated.

He supported Zhang Fan but dared not pick it up. He had seen with his own eyes just now how Zhang Esha was blasted into nothing by this thing.

That was a Northern Zhang expert, a Fasting Head powerhouse.

"You wouldn't be scared, would you?" Zhang Fan squinted at him.

"How could that be? This is, after all, your own... treasure." Ge Shuangxiu shook his head.

Zhang Fan leaned over, picked it up, and stuffed it into his pocket.

"What exactly is this... treasure!?" Ge Shuangxiu couldn't help but ask.

"How the hell would I know."

Zhang Fan shook his head. When he bought it from the black market, the other party asked for 300,000, saying it was an ancient relic fragment. Zhang Fan haggled it down to 150 yuan. Later, he always played with it as a hand-held piece.

Who would have thought he had actually picked up a huge bargain? This thing was full of evil nature everywhere.

"Let's go back first; people will be here soon." Zhang Fan said in a low voice.

Zhang Esha was not only a great expert of the Fasting Head realm but also a member of Northern Zhang. He died here without even a trace left; he didn't know how much impact this would cause.

The three supported each other and gradually disappeared into the vast night.

It was late at night.

Yujing City.

A strange sound suddenly came from the quiet room. Little Wen He turned on her phone flashlight, and the flickering light drove away some darkness, illuminating the sight before her.

She pushed her glasses and followed the strange sound.

The door to Jiang Lai's room was ajar, and the sound came from within, growing louder and louder.

"Jiang Lai... is that you?" Little Wen He asked tentatively.

However, there was no response from the room, only that strange sound, which seemed to grow louder.

"Jiang Lai, are you okay?" Little Wen He asked again.

The cold room still did not respond, instead making the strange sound appear even more piercing.

Little Wen He frowned and quickened her pace. She felt the switch on the wall and quickly turned on the light. The scene before her made her expression change abruptly, almost causing her to scream.

Jiang Lai was lying on the ground, her upper body bare, revealing her snow-white back. A chaotic black wound, as if piercing through, gradually manifested and continued to squirm and spread on her snow-white back.

"Jiang Lai, you..."

Little Wen He's expression changed abruptly, and a look of surprise appeared on her trembling face. She had never seen such a wound.

That wound seemed impossible to heal, gruesome and terrifying, emitting an ominous aura that made her subconsciously afraid to approach.

"Jiang Lai, what's wrong with you?" Little Wen He calmed her mind and asked hurriedly.

Jiang Lai stood up slowly. There was still no fluctuation on her beautiful face; she just looked out the window, at the vast sky, and a cold look rose in her eyes.

"That thing... is still alive!?"

(End of Chapter)