Turns and Homeland

The monster that the black coffin had become resembled a four-legged black serpent with a human face. Twenty feet long, it radiated an intensely evil, venomous aura.

After absorbing every living creature, corpse, and trace of sinister energy around it, it fixed its abyss-dark eyes on Wang Zhifan atop his horse.

Wang Zhifan likewise studied this enemy that had concealed itself so well, trying to determine exactly what it was.

To his senses, the monster was neither a flesh-and-blood creature nor an energy construct. It seemed more like a warped mixture of some kind of aura and laws, utterly bizarre.

Perhaps irritated by Wang Zhifan's unrelenting stare, the monster attacked first.

Its body instantly dispersed into boundless, foul, sinister energy that enveloped the entire mountain, cutting it off from the outside world.

Standing within it, Wang Zhifan felt as though day had turned to night in an instant. Eerie, wicked laughter sounded around him, and strange black shadows flickered everywhere, as though a moment's inattention would see him surrounded and killed.

Even the Crimson Deer Horse grew uneasy in this environment. It neighed several times and stamped its forehooves against the rocks, urging Wang Zhifan to leave at once.

But Wang Zhifan was still evaluating his enemy. Wanting to give it more opportunities to demonstrate its abilities and gather information, he immediately dismissed the Crimson Deer Horse, sending his old friend, who lacked combat capabilities, away first.

Amid the boundless darkness and sinister energy, Wang Zhifan landed nimbly on his feet. Holding the sheathed Azure Emperor Saber, he looked ahead with a relaxed, seemingly defenseless air, allowing the ghostly wails and wicked shadows around him to continue gathering.

At last, his arrogance proved too much for his opponent. In an instant, sharp claws formed from sinister energy appeared before and