Chapter titles can't exceed twenty characters? What the hell — there was never this restriction before.
Thanks to Alliance Leader ZhuangshengxiaomengmihudieA for the 100,000-pink contribution. Xiao Mo's updates have been lackluster. I hardly deserve such generosity.
……
Gao Xueting reached out and steadied Yang Kai's arm, sparing him the embarrassment of collapsing. Yang Kai nodded in gratitude, breathing hard as he forced the churning blood and Qi in his chest back into order.
Just then, two mournful whines rang out. Guixu, who looked like a small black dog, let out cries of anguish, as though enduring some unbearable agony.
Its appearance was wretched beyond description. Earlier, Gong Yue had somehow awakened and controlled the power sleeping in its bloodline, allowing it to hold off numerous Emperor Realm cultivators single-handedly for a considerable time. But once it had reached its limit, it posed no further threat. When caught in the crossfire of various divine abilities, it had been torn apart so thoroughly that its entire body was drenched in blood — a sight too grim to look upon.
Gong Yue glanced at it, clearly sensing something, and smiled faintly. "Well, no matter. The timing is about right anyway."
No one knew what he meant by that. But the instant his words fell, Guixu retched dryly several times, then its mouth swelled enormously, transforming in an instant into that colossal, sky-devouring maw.
From within that gaping maw, a sliver of cold light bloomed. A man bearing a spear burst free as though escaping from the depths of an abyss, spinning rapidly as he shot outward.
The moment he reappeared in the light, Feng Ming seemed momentarily stunned. After being swallowed whole moments before, he had been surrounded on all sides by boundless, impenetrable darkness — no light, no sound. Fortunately he hadn't been harmed. It was as though he had merely been sucked into some bizarre pocket world.
Occasionally a faint glimmer of light leaked through from that world. He had fought with everything he had, charging toward that light until at last he broke free.
His gaze swept the surroundings and he made his decision instantly. He lashed out with a kick at the retching Guixu beside him, sending the small black dog hurtling out of sight. Then his spear surged forward like a dragon, thrusting straight at the seated Gong Yue.
Facing mortal danger, Gong Yue did not dodge. He did not even attempt to resist. His aura had been feeble all along — the only reason he could contend with so many Emperor Realm cultivators was Guixu's uncanny ability. Now that Guixu was no longer of use, even if he fought back he would be no match for the enraged Feng Ming.
He faced death's summons with an expression of perfect calm, as though he had long since seen beyond the boundary of life and death.
With a sickening thrust, the Yanlei Spear plunged into Gong Yue's chest, blasting a hole clean through his torso. Through that gaping wound, the writhing organs within were faintly visible.
Gong Yue was still smiling. "Killing me alone is useless. Time will prove that my choice was the right one. You are all wrong."
"Spouting nonsense!" Feng Ming snorted coldly. He channeled his Emperor Yuan, and a bestial roar erupted from the Yanlei Spear. Gong Yue's body detonated, dissolving into a cloud of blood mist — not a trace of bone or flesh remained.
A single wisp of black light fled from the carnage. Feng Ming's eyes were quick. He flicked his spear and shattered the black light on the spot. Only then did he exhale in relief, turning to the others. "Are you all right?"
Chen Wenhao's expression was not good. He shook his head. "We're fine. Thanks to Elder Yang. Brother Feng, how about you?"
Feng Ming shook his head. "I'm fine too. But we should still check carefully. That thing was far too bizarre."
"What did Gong Yue's last words mean?" Gao Xueting's delicate brows knitted together. She had been turning his words over in her mind but couldn't make sense of them. All she felt was a mounting sense of unease, as though something terrible was still about to happen.
No one understood what Gong Yue had truly meant with his dying words.
Just as the group stood lost in thought, a deafening rumble rolled in from the distance. The earth and mountain peaks began to shake violently, as though something had been torn open. Streaks of black light suddenly surged upward from somewhere on Spirit Sword Peak, streaking outward in every direction like rays of fleeing light.
"Demonic thoughts… How are there so many demonic thoughts?" Gao Xueting looked up, and the color drained from her face in an instant.
Those streaks of black light were clearly the same type of remnant demonic thought that had corroded Gong Yue — but there were hundreds, even thousands of them. They scattered through the air like a firework bursting apart.
"That's impossible!" Chen Wenhao was dumbfounded.
Qiu Ran and the others were seeing demonic thoughts for the first time. Though they didn't know just how dangerous these things were, they could feel that they were not to be trifled with. Every one of them wore a grave expression.
"Spirit Sword Peak… is a sealed-demonic site," Yang Kai said through weak coughs, looking utterly spent. "The reason Gong Yue came here was to break the seals and release the other demonic thoughts."
Gao Xueting started, whipping her head toward him. "Junior Brother, you mean this place is like the Southern Marsh?"
Yang Kai replied, "There's no other explanation."
Everyone's attention had been focused on the ancient cave dwelling in the Southern Marsh. No one had imagined that a sealed-demonic site could exist here on Spirit Sword Peak within the Qingyang Divine Temple. Gong Yue, once corroded by the demonic thought, had clearly learned of this — which was why he had bypassed what was close and come directly to this place, using his mastery of formations to break the restrictions and unleash even more demonic thoughts.
He hadn't resisted at his death for two reasons: first, because he couldn't; second, because there was no need. Even if he died, his mission was already complete. Just as he had said before — many more would follow in his footsteps.