PS: It's the first day of the New Year! Mo here, with my wife and kids, wishing all of you a happy New Year! May the Year of the Sheep bring you great fortune, success in all things, and health and happiness for your families!
Maple Leaf City. Amid a violent tremor and the shaking of the earth, colorful barriers of light suddenly materialized, forming a half-dome that enshrouded the entire city.
These grand defensive formations had been painstakingly designed and laid down by generations of Maple Leaf City lords and clan powerhouses, specifically to ward off foreign invaders — though they had essentially never been put to use.
After all, Maple Leaf City had never faced any serious enemy incursion, to the point that even the cultivators who had lived there for ages had nearly forgotten these formations existed.
But now, in this very moment, one formation after another was being activated.
"What's going on? Why are these formations being triggered?"
"Something big must have happened — could it be a foreign invasion?"
"Is it possible that a Dao Sovereign Realm powerhouse has attacked?"
In an instant, the countless cultivators inside the city fell into a state of alarm and confusion, all talking over one another. Some turned their gazes toward the City Lord's Manor, hoping to hear what explanation it would offer.
And just then, a frantic shout came from far beyond the city walls: "Everyone, get inside the city immediately! No delays!"
The voice repeated several times, as though the speaker was in great urgency, and it was so powerful that it practically echoed across the entirety of Maple Leaf City.
"That's Vice City Lord Drunken Weng's voice!"
Upon recognizing the owner of the voice, several cultivators' expressions turned grave. They immediately dashed up to the city walls and peered outward. In short order, the walls were packed with people.
The next instant, cries of alarm erupted one after another.
"Look — Vice City Lord seems to be being chased by something!"
"Heavens, what is that thing? It's a mass of pitch-black darkness!"
"Even Vice City Lord is no match for it?"
While everyone was still discussing the matter, Drunken Weng had already charged to the front of Maple Leaf City. The cultivators managing the formation barriers immediately opened a gap for him, and with a flicker of his body, he shot through the opening and into the city.
Once he was inside, the gap sealed shut behind him in an instant, restored to its original state.
At the same time, the billowing mass of dark qi that had been pursuing Drunken Weng arrived at the barrier without slowing, slamming directly into the outermost layer of light.
BOOM...
A thunderous roar. The brilliantly glowing barrier trembled slightly, its color dimming dramatically, nearly shattering entirely. The sight of this sent a jolt of terror through the nearby cultivators, who scrambled backward with ashen faces.
The cultivators controlling the formations hurriedly poured more of their own energy in, desperately stabilizing the flickering barrier until it finally held.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Streams of light shot toward the walls from every direction within the city — clearly the powerhouses of Maple Leaf City who had sensed the commotion.
City Lord Duan Yuanshan was the first to appear. He landed on the city wall, his expression grim as he stared ahead, his eyelids twitching faintly.
On either side of him, several Dao Source Realm powerhouses manifested one by one. Upon witnessing the terrifying scene ahead, every one of them blanched.
"City Lord Duan — what exactly are these things?" An elderly man with snow-white hair spoke up.
This old man possessed Dao Source Realm first-stage cultivation. He was none other than Qin Zhaoyang, the Qin family's grand ancestor — and among the nearly ten Dao Source Realm cultivators present, he appeared the most aged. It seemed his life's limit was approaching; age spots had even begun to form on his face.
This was exceedingly rare for a Dao Source Realm cultivator. Only those whose lifespans were about to reach their natural end would exhibit such physical changes.
"Indeed, City Lord Duan. Since you ordered the defensive formations activated in advance, you must have received some intelligence?" Du Lishen, the Du family's grand ancestor, asked from the side.
The other clan Dao Source Realm cultivators all looked toward Duan Yuanshan, hoping he would provide an explanation.
"Demonic qi! Purified demonic qi of an ancient great demon!" Duan Yuanshan said, his expression heavy. "It was reportedly released from a location two thousand li away!"
"Purified demonic qi of an ancient great demon?" The assembled Dao Source Realm powerhouses all reacted with visible alarm upon hearing this.
"This city lord only just received the intelligence myself. Don't ask me where this demonic qi came from, because I don't know. All I know is that if we cannot work together, then Maple Leaf City is in grave danger today!"
The moment these words left his mouth, the expressions of every Dao Source Realm cultivator turned deadly serious.
Duan Yuanshan turned to survey the gathering: "You are all leaders of your respective clans, and each of your clans has many members still inside the city. Surely none of you wish to see them corroded by demonic qi, reduced to mindless husks for the rest of their lives?"
"Of course not!" Qin Zhaoyang was the first to respond. "But how exactly should we repel this threat? Please instruct us, City Lord!"
"Indeed — this is the first time any of us have encountered purified demonic qi from an ancient great demon. None of us know what method would be most effective for driving it back," Liang Pengle of the Liang family said, his expression cold and stern.