Boom!
A bolt of lightning fell, exploding with exquisite precision several feet above the heads of those martial wanderers trapped in illusion. Thunder intent surged, scattering the demonic phantasm and jolting their minds awake.
It even carried a sliver of the majestic might of wielding heavenly thunder on Heaven's behalf!
"Many thanks to the Daoist priest for saving our lives!"
The martial wanderers awoke amid the thunderclap, their reason immediately restored. They thanked him repeatedly as they hurriedly ran back.
After encountering demons and strange horrors all along the way, Li Qingyun had continuously used thunder arts, and his insights had steadily deepened through practice.
With a crippled body unsuited for cultivation and merely average comprehension, he felt that the only thing he was remotely good at was learning through practice!
Back when he had been the third young master of a marquis's estate, he had trained bitterly in riding, archery, saber, sword, spear, and halberd—and improved at astonishing speed in real combat as well!
"Man can conquer Heaven; true knowledge comes from practice..."
Feeling the power of his thunder arts rise once more, Li Qingyun was faintly exhilarated. He recalled famous words from his past life, as well as the bold spirit of mortals daring to battle Heaven and Earth!
"Good! Fellow Daoist, your thunder arts have grown ever more refined!"
Wang Muyun's spirits lifted, and she could not help praising him. At the same time, she guided her mana to draw the three men into the clear-light barrier.
Sizzle, sizzle!
Suddenly, strands of dark green vines burst from the ground, coiling around the three men like living snakes. With immense force, they dragged them backward.
Within the crimson demonic aura, the Nightmare Deer Demon's figure flickered in and out of sight. Demonic vines drilled out all around it, crazily pressing toward the crowd before the ruined temple!
At the same time, invisible demonic force continuously rammed and squeezed against them, exposing more merchants, travelers, and guards beyond the clear light's protection.
"Help..."
More and more people were ensnared by demonic vines bursting from the ground and forcibly dragged away!
The oxen and horses that could not be attended to in time were directly pierced by the monstrous vines, their blood rapidly drained dry. The sight was too ghastly to bear.
"Junior Brother, this is bad. We have no idea where this Nightmare Deer Demon came from, but it's far too powerful. It seems only an expert of the Dao Foundation Realm can deal with it!"
Zhao Yifan finally drew the Thousand-Year Peachwood Sword from his back. Its blade emitted a dazzling red glow as he swung it, severing the demonic vines around one person beside him.
Yet Zhao Yifan showed a trace of fear as he sent a low voice transmission. "If it really comes to it, stay with me. We can only flee for our lives!"
Li Qingyun kept swinging his sword to cut apart the grotesque vines erupting from the ground. The tiger's mouth of his palm had already been numbed by the impacts and had begun to split and bleed.
Watching the terrified "mortals" scream one after another, pity flashed through his eyes.
In this world, demons ran rampant, and the people suffered too bitterly!
His compassion might be worthless, perhaps even foolish.
But he still wanted to hold on a little longer.
"Let's wait and see, Senior Brother! We still have the strength to fight. Perhaps Fellow Daoist Wang's reinforcements will arrive soon!"
The ruined temple was in utter chaos. People were continuously squeezed out from the clear light's protection before being caught by demonic vines. If the few cultivators among them did not strike with all their strength, fewer than one in ten of these nearly hundred people would survive!
Wang Muyun continuously sent out Dharma pearls, scattering flames that scorched the demonic vines covering the ground.
Once the demonic vines were touched by Dharma fire, they weakened considerably, yet they were not burned away. They still dragged martial wanderers one after another, seeking to pull them into the crimson demonic aura.
The Four Seas Pavilion's two old Attendants also disregarded the fact that their vital energy had yet to fully recover. They screeched as they transformed again, charging out alongside the Cai Family of Luoshui's three unorthodox Attendants like humanoid monsters and madly tearing at those snake-like demonic vines!
"Guard Zhang, lend me your bow and arrows!"
Li Qingyun darted sideways to Guard Zhang, who was firing arrows wildly, and unceremoniously snatched the bow and arrows from his hands.
With the great bow in hand, a familiar sensation flowed through him. In that instant, he felt a little wistful.
That young gentleman of Qinghe County, skilled in archery and horsemanship, had returned!
Only now, he could be called a Thunder Bowman!
Mana surged as his fingers rapidly traced and tapped along the bow. In an instant, six traces of mana in the form of thunder seals emerged across its body!
Guard Zhang's great bow was made from decent materials and was likely forged at great expense. It contained some refined iron and, like that bronze short sword, could endure a degree of mana infusion.
Crackle!
The thunder bow was suddenly drawn taut. A thread of electricity traveled along its body before gathering upon the arrow!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Li Qingyun repeatedly drew the bow, the breath in his chest billowing. Arrows containing the power of lightning flew out in an unbroken rain!
The misery before him forced him to reveal a measure of his strength.
Light flashed across his body, revealing the cultivation of Qi Refining Layer One!
Pulling off a breakthrough in the midst of battle was reasonable enough, wasn't it!
Where the thunder bow pointed, lightning arrows fell!
He aimed only at the demonic vines already ignited by Wang Muyun's Dharma fire.
Fire and thunder joined forces, doubling their might. One demonic vine after another burst apart!
The demonic vines severed and blasted apart by lightning and fire continued to twist and wriggle upon the ground, but they no longer posed much threat. Before long, they withered like dead snakes.
As a young gentleman skilled in archery and horsemanship, Li Qingyun's deliberately and arduously cultivated archery was already extraordinary. With the support of mana and spiritual sense, it became ever sharper and more explosive!
The thunder bow continually opened and closed, saving merchants, travelers, and martial wanderers on the verge of being dragged into the crimson demonic aura.
"Junior Brother Qingyun, it seems your mana has broken through amid battle!"
"Once we drive back this demon, I'll treat you to tea!"
With Li Qingyun's sudden and powerful assistance, Wang Muyun was overjoyed. A glimmer of brilliance appeared in her eyes as she called out her praise.
Previously, this Biyou Palace disciple had remained somewhat reserved, addressing Li Qingyun as Fellow Daoist. Now, she directly changed her form of address to "Junior Brother Qingyun," clearly becoming much friendlier toward him.
"Heh, then I'll wait to drink Senior Sister Wang's fine tea!"
Li Qingyun smiled, then suddenly staggered. A weak pallor spread across his handsome face.
That performance was a little too much. I need to cover it up!
His outwardly displayed aura was barely at Qi Refining Layer One, so why did he possess an endless supply of mana, firing thunder arrows like rain? He had even stolen the limelight from Zhao Yifan and those Attendants from the Four Seas Pavilion and the Cai Family of Luoshui!
He took out two Minor Grass Pills, pretended to swallow them, then continued drawing the thunder bow, his arrows flying like lightning.
For a time, he was high-spirited and full of vigor, almost seeming to control the entire battlefield from afar!
The display of this archery was already no weaker than a low-grade spell—one capable of continuously unleashing powerful attacks, at that.
"You all deserve to die!"
Seeing his demonic vines repeatedly damaged, the Nightmare Deer Demon became increasingly violent. Its green, oily pupils brimmed with savage ferocity as it glared through the air at Wang Muyun and Li Qingyun.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
More demonic vines burst from the earth. Amid the chaos, people were finally dragged into the crimson demonic aura, where they let out shrill screams!
A rain of blood scattered through the air, and the sounds of chewing and devouring came from within the demonic aura.
Demons, monsters, ghosts, and freaks loved eating people and absorbing souls, because consuming human flesh and drawing in yang energy made them stronger!
Li Qingyun was also somewhat helpless. There was too great a gap between his realm and that of the Nightmare Deer Demon. Even though he and Wang Muyun worked together seamlessly and repeatedly achieved results, they could not attend to everyone.
Casualties were unavoidable!
But that was the normal state of affairs in the Shadowed Domain. If ordinary people encountered demons, monsters, ghosts, or freaks while traveling through the wilderness at night, they would almost certainly die with no return.
"Demon, die!"
Just then, Bao Guang flashed across the eastern night sky, followed by a cold shout filled with authority!
A pillar of dazzling radiance descended from the sky.
The crimson demonic aura immediately collapsed with a thunderous crash. Great swaths of monstrous vines snapped apart, and demonic blood could vaguely be seen flying through the air. This demon had surely lost a few parts!
"It's actually the Opening Mansion Realm! Those stinking ox-nosed priests of Biyou Palace deserve to die..."
The Nightmare Deer Demon let out a terrified howl!
Dharma fire blazed over its body. No longer daring to continue its violence, it turned and desperately fled into the darkness.
Earlier, it had harbored a lucky hope, believing that at most Wang Muyun would be able to summon someone of Biyou Palace's Dao Foundation Realm!
Before you continue