Chapter 205: The Ripple Draws Attention, Mind Like Iron, Blade Like Will

The five moved in the same direction for now—toward the eastern city gate.

As they drew closer, the sense of deathly silence and ominous dread grew stronger.

Yu Xian, having experienced it once before, remained composed, though his eyes carried a deep heaviness and caution.

The other four, however, turned visibly pale.

This kind of darkness, deathly stillness, and chilling aura—it was enough to instill dread even in broad daylight.

Outer Realm Demons. The bane of all living beings. The universal enemy of flesh and spirit.

The city was only a few dozen li away, and after a short flight, they descended and began walking.

Flying into the city would make them easy targets.

So each of them suppressed their presence or used concealment techniques, disguising themselves as ordinary people—at most with Qi Condensation-level fluctuations—to avoid attracting attention from the demons.

If it were a sunny day, and they appeared weak enough, most demons wouldn’t bother coming out to devour them.

The stench of rotting corpses filled the air. Swarms of flies and insects blotted out the skies.

This place had turned into a true dead zone.

They passed skeletal remains and decomposed corpses, wrinkling their brows.

Hundreds of demons couldn’t have slaughtered tens of thousands—not unless they took months to do it slowly. Demons needed time to digest flesh and soul essence.

And judging from these corpses—rotten and shredded—it wasn’t the demons that killed them.

This was clearly a case of humans killing each other in the chaos of the demon’s arrival.

“Hmph. Demons kill to grow stronger, to feast on flesh and soul. But humans… humans kill for nothing. Sometimes, just to satisfy their greed.”

Zhao Fengjuan sneered. “Sometimes, humans are more demonic than demons.”

The others didn’t respond.

He hadn’t expected them to. The words were for himself—a reflection born of bitter memories.

They quickly entered the gates.

Inside, the devastation was worse—an earthly hell.

At the end of the road, beyond piles of corpses, Yu Xian’s gaze sharpened slightly. Then he spoke calmly, “This poor Daoist will head west. Fellow Daoists, take your own paths.”

Without another word, he turned and departed.

The others also split off without delay.

Su Xiaoduo cast a deep glance at Yu Xian’s retreating figure before activating her concealment technique and heading north.

The city was large, but Yu Xian, relying on memory, walked without hesitation.

Making sure he was alone, he began chanting softly, and a faint strand of demonic qi rose from his body.

It was the Demonic Qi Infusion Technique passed to him by Gu Hanfeng.

By using it, he could envelop himself in demon-like energy—close enough to fool real demons, greatly reducing his chances of being noticed or devoured.

He hadn’t expected to ever use this forbidden technique again.

But here it was—perhaps his only way to survive this perilous place.

He advanced carefully, yet swiftly.

In less than the time of an incense stick, he reached the designated position in the western quadrant.

Everything had gone too smoothly.

Yu Xian remained alert. After a thorough check, he took out a small flag embroidered with a three-legged fire crow and thrust it into the ground.

Boom!

The moment the flag rooted itself, a powerful energy wave erupted outward!

“What?! Damn it!”

Yu Xian’s expression shifted dramatically as he turned and bolted toward the city outskirts!

Now he understood why Zhou Qingxiao and Hong Shao had warned them—this mission was truly life-threatening.

With over a hundred demons in this massive city, the odds of encountering even one were small.

But the real danger wasn’t the demons—it was this flag!

The moment it activated, it became a signal flare in the dark, instantly drawing the attention of every demon in the area.

In his haste to be quick, he had become the first target.

The others hadn’t even reached their positions yet.

Shriek!

A terrible scream erupted from deep within the city.

The cry of a demon.

Over a dozen shadowy figures—half-transparent, inky black—shot toward Yu Xian like streaking arrows!

The other four heard it too, their hearts jolting. But when they saw the shadows flying west, not toward them, they relaxed and continued on with renewed caution.

They didn’t know what had triggered the demons, assuming it was unrelated.

Meanwhile, Yu Xian was fleeing with all his might.

He was fully enveloped in Mu Yang spiritual power, using Soaring Cloud Technique to its limit.

Yet the shadows were catching up.

Demons were spirit bodies, unbound by flesh. Their speed in the sky was tremendous.

Even with his speed comparable to late-stage Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t outrun them.

The sun above irritated them—they hissed and screamed, black smoke wafting from their forms—but these were high-tier demons. They had absorbed enough flesh and souls to operate even in daylight.

The Demons of the Outer Realm were categorized into eight ranks:

Low-tier, Mid-tier, High-tier, Minor Demon, Greater Demon, Demon General, Demon King, and Demon Emperor.

Above Demon Emperor? No one knew.

Every Demon Emperor’s appearance was a cataclysm. Only the combined might of Nascent Soul and above could bring one down.

What chased Yu Xian were High-tier Demons.

Sunlight burned them, but couldn’t kill them.

They were gaining—ten zhang away!

Yu Xian clenched his fist, channeling spiritual energy into his forefinger. With his other hand, he summoned seven vine whips behind him.

He couldn’t let them get close. If they entered his sea of consciousness, the result would be… unthinkable.

He trusted his mental strength, but letting a demon into his mind was madness.

Shriek! Roar! Scream!

Ten demons were within ten zhang!

Yu Xian didn’t look back. His vines, his Spirit Finger, his Spirit Shield, his Bi Ling Sword—none had moved.

He was waiting.

Three more breaths.

Now!

“Die!”

His finger unleashed a blinding white beam.

Three demons were instantly vaporized.

Then the vines lashed out like serpents, BOOM! Seven more exploded.

Only six remained, unfazed, charging madly.

Yu Xian grunted. “Go!”

His sword shot forth like a green comet, cleaving through two more.

The final four demons slammed into his Spirit Shield—BANG!—only to be swatted down by the returning vines.

All six were dead.

Yu Xian didn’t slow. He sheathed his sword, retracted his shield, and sped toward the exit—

But then—

A voice whispered in his ear.

“WAHAHAHA! You think it’s over? It’s just begun! You’ve fallen into my trap, human!”

The voice was shrill and gleeful.

Yu Xian’s blood turned cold. His full power exploded outward as he punched toward the sound!

Too late!

A transparent ripple darted straight into his forehead—toward his spiritual sea!

His forehead mark, a leaf-like symbol, flared in defense—but the demon laughed.

“A spiritual defense artifact? If it were real, maybe! But it’s fake! Hahaha! You can’t stop me!”

“Your soul is so pure! Your will is so clean! Your spirit is so fragrant! You’re mine now! MINE!!”

The ripple penetrated his mark.

Yu Xian collapsed from the sky, slamming into the ground.

His body trembled.

He wasn’t dead.

But inside—

—A spiritual war to the death had begun.

In the Sea of Consciousness

A vast, starry expanse. Each star was a memory, a thought.

The intruding demon now took shape—a bloodthirsty, twisted youth with crimson eyes.

He screamed and lunged toward the stars.

But the stars gathered, forming a human shape—Yu Xian himself.

“What!? Your spiritual form is this refined?!”

The demon panicked but still charged.

BOOM!

Yu Xian’s spirit was thrown back, wavering, nearly shattering.

“HAHAHA! You’re mine now!”

But Yu Xian’s spiritual self opened his eyes, filled with blazing light.

His form stabilized—nearly tangible.

“My mind is my own. You dare devour it?”

A knife appeared in his hand.

A simple chopping knife.

A blade of will.

“Impossible! You have a Spiritual Blade?! Even I don’t have one!”

The demon turned pale, fled in terror.

But as he tried to escape, he was bounced back by Yu Xian’s iron-like will.

“What!? Your will is this strong?! I… I can’t get out!?”

He had come to devour a soul…

…But instead, had walked into a trap.

Yu Xian stepped forward, raising his blade of will.

“You’re a spirit without a will. I overestimated you.”

Just as the blade fell—

“No! Xian’er! Don’t kill your mother!”

The figure of a woman—skeletal and weak—appeared before him.

Yu Xian’s spiritual form shook violently.

His will trembled.

His blade halted.

“Mother…?”

She knelt, weeping, pleading.

The face of his long-ill mother…

Was it really her?

Or just the demon’s trick?

Only Yu Xian’s true will could decide.