Dragon Vein Hunt for the Fragment, Demonic Patterns Stirring

Four-colored light streaked through the void at breakneck speed, and Xuan Fu's figure swayed precariously. The Demonic Contamination Power inside him gnawed at him like a parasite in his bones. Black Marks spread madly along the Four-Colored Talisman Path, and every breath brought tearing pain as his Spiritual Sense was repeatedly dragged between clarity and chaos. He clenched his teeth tightly (the runes tightened), forcing the milky-white radiance of the Innate Jade Fluid into the Talisman Path Core while circulating the Life-Destruction Talisman Path. He wrapped the annihilating power of "destruction" in the vitality of "life," forming a barrier of yin and yang that barely held back the Demonic Contamination.

"Fellow Daoist Mystic Talisman, hold on!" Donghua's voice came from behind. Wood Spirit Power flowed continuously into Xuan Fu like a warm stream, working with the Innate Jade Fluid to reinforce his Origin Barrier. Ao Guang, Feng Yao, and Qilin Cang followed close behind. The Origin Power of the Three Clans intertwined into a Three-Colored Light Screen behind Xuan Fu, resisting the demonic aura that kept surging from the Chaos.

Ever since they had fled the Chaos battlefield, Demon Ancestor Luohu's Demonic Contamination Power had clung to Xuan Fu like a parasite in his bones. It not only rampaged inside him but also attracted countless Chaos beings that had been corrupted by demonic power. These beings had originally been remnant souls of Innate Demon Gods in the Chaos. After being eroded by the Demonic Contamination Power, they became fearless of death and charged madly at the group, trying to completely corrupt Xuan Fu and drag him back into the depths of the Chaos to offer him to the Demon Ancestor.

"These demonic beings are getting more and more numerous!" Ao Guang roared. Water vapor condensed into several Water Dragons that strangled the approaching demonic beings. "At this rate, we'll be dragged down sooner or later, and Fellow Daoist Mystic Talisman's condition will only get worse!"

Xuan Fu understood immediately. Demon Ancestor Luohu clearly intended to use these demonic beings to delay them. Once the Demonic Contamination Power inside him erupted completely, Luohu could control him without any effort. He had to reach the depths of the Kunlun Dragon Vein as quickly as possible and find the Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Accelerate! Charge straight through!" Xuan Fu's voice was slightly hoarse. He suddenly circulated the Life-Destruction Talisman Path, and the four-colored talisman light surged, transforming into a massive talisman blade that slashed toward the horde of demonic beings ahead. The blade contained the Dao rhythm of the balance between life and destruction. Wherever it passed, the demonic contamination within the demonic beings was instantly purified, and their bodies collapsed into wisps of Chaos Stream.

The group seized the opening and urged themselves to their fastest speed, following Xuan Fu as they broke through the demonic beings' blockade. But just as they emerged from the encirclement, an even more terrifying aura came from the Chaos Stream ahead, causing everyone's expressions to turn solemn.

"It's the Demon Bone General under the Demon Ancestor!" Feng Yao's face went deathly pale as flames burned fiercely across her body. "They say he was formed from the demonic corruption of a Chaos Demon God's bones. His strength has reached the mid-stage Quasi-Saint realm, and he excels at using the power of demonic bones to erode his opponent's origin!"

Before she had finished speaking, a tall figure slowly emerged from the Chaos Stream. His entire body was made of black demonic bones, and strange demonic patterns covered his skeleton. He radiated dense demonic pressure—the Demon Bone General himself. Scarlet light flashed in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Xuan Fu. His voice was as grating as bones scraping together. "Xuan Fu, by the Demon Ancestor's command, I have come to take you back to the depths of the Chaos. If you know what's good for you, surrender and spare yourself unnecessary suffering!"

"Not a chance!" A trace of resolve flashed through Xuan Fu's eyes. He circulated the Life-Destruction Talisman Path again, and four-colored talisman light condensed into a massive talisman seal in his hand. "If you want to take me away, get past this first!"

"Foolish insect!" The Demon Bone General sneered. The power of demonic bones around him surged, and countless black bone blades shot from his body like a torrential rain toward the group. The Demonic Contamination Power on the bone blades was incredibly dense. Wherever they passed, the space itself corroded into spots of blackness.

"Defend together!" Donghua shouted in a low voice. Wood Spirit Power surged, and countless verdant vines drilled out of the void, forming a sturdy barrier before the group. Ao Guang, Feng Yao, and Qilin Cang also circulated their Origin Power. The three-colored Origin Power worked with the Wood Spirit Power to reinforce the barrier.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The bone blades struck the barrier with the sound of metal colliding. The barrier shook violently, cracks appearing across it. The Demon Bone General was far stronger than the demonic beings they had faced earlier. Even with the four clans joining forces, they could only barely hold him back.

Xuan Fu knew they could not remain on the defensive. He took a deep breath and poured all the remaining Innate Jade Fluid inside him into the Life-Destruction Talisman Seal. The four-colored talisman light instantly became even more dazzling. He did not choose to attack head-on. Instead, he circulated spatial talisman power, transforming into a Four-Colored Light that appeared behind the Demon Bone General in an instant.

"Be purified!"

Xuan Fu slammed the Life-Destruction Talisman Seal onto the Demon Bone General's back. Four-colored talisman light erupted, and the Dao power of the balance between life and destruction poured madly into the Demon Bone General, beginning to purify the demonic patterns on his bones. The Demon Bone General let out a pained howl, his body trembling violently as the demonic patterns on his black bones rapidly faded. Clearly, the Demonic Contamination Power was being purified.

"Insect, how dare you injure the Venerable One!" The Demon Bone General flew into a rage. He turned and swung his enormous bone claw at Xuan Fu. The Demonic Contamination Power on the claw surged once more, trying to forcefully reverse Xuan Fu's talisman power of life and destruction.

Xuan Fu had prepared for this. He immediately activated the Universe Folding Talisman and returned to the group in an instant. His face was even paler. That attack had nearly exhausted all his talisman power, and the Demonic Contamination Power inside him had taken the opportunity to spread again. The Black Marks had already occupied one-third of the Talisman Path Core.

"Fellow Daoist Mystic Talisman, how are you?" Donghua hurriedly offered him a strand of pure Wood Spirit Power and asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." Xuan Fu shook his head and quickly absorbed the Wood Spirit Power. "Although the Demon Bone General's Demonic Contamination Power is formidable, his origin is made from demonic bones. The purifying power of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path restrains him. If we join forces to launch one more attack, we should be able to drive him back."

The group nodded in agreement. Ao Guang summoned water vapor, Feng Yao condensed flames, Qilin Cang called forth stone spikes, and Donghua urged the vines to grow. The Origin Power of the four clans intertwined once more, forming an even greater attack that thundered toward the Demon Bone General. Xuan Fu simultaneously circulated his remaining talisman power, condensing another four-colored talisman blade. It merged with the four-clan attack, forming an unstoppable Energy Torrent.

"Boom!"

The Energy Torrent collided with the Demon Bone General's power of demonic bones, and the enormous shock wave scattered the surrounding Chaos Stream. The Demon Bone General let out a shrill howl as the Energy Torrent struck him. His black bones shattered inch by inch, and the Demonic Contamination Power poured out like a flood, finally transforming into wisps of black vapor that fled into the depths of the Chaos. Clearly, he had been thoroughly driven back.

The group breathed sighs of relief and landed one after another, exhaustion written across their faces. Although they had won the battle, they had expended a tremendous amount of Origin Power. The Demonic Contamination Power inside Xuan Fu had grown even more severe. The Four-Colored Light had dimmed, and the Black Marks flickered faintly across his body.

"We can't delay any longer. We'll head for the depths of the Kunlun Dragon Vein immediately." Xuan Fu did not dare to stop. He rose at once and flew toward the Kunlun Mountain Range. The others followed close behind, not daring to slacken for even an instant.

After racing onward, they finally reached the Kunlun Mountain Range. The Kunlun of now was completely different from before. The power of the Dragon Vein had become abnormally violent, colliding with the demonic aura in the sky to form an enormous yin-yang vortex that shrouded the entire Kunlun Mountain Range. Most of the Innate Beings in the mountains had already fled. Only a few corrupted beings wandered about, making this Primordial Wilderness holy land seem lifeless.

"The depths of the Dragon Vein are in Taiji Valley ahead." The voice of the Jade Void Palace Shadow sounded in Xuan Fu's mind. "The Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment is hidden on the Dragon Vein Eye at the deepest part of the valley. You must draw out the fragment with the power of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path, then use the fragment's yin-yang power to dissolve the Demonic Contamination inside you."

Xuan Fu nodded and led the group toward Taiji Valley. Taiji Valley lay in the Core Area of the Kunlun Mountain Range. The peaks on both sides of the entrance resembled the yin-yang fish eyes of the Taiji Diagram and radiated a faint spiritual light. The power of the Dragon Vein was most concentrated inside the valley, and its collision with the demonic aura was also most violent. The energy turbulence in the air was enough to tear an ordinary Golden Immortal apart in an instant.

"Wait here. I'll go in alone." Xuan Fu turned to Donghua and the Three Clan Experts. "The energy at the Dragon Vein Eye is too violent. Bringing more people in will only cause interference, and the Demonic Contamination inside me might spread to you."

"No! The Demonic Contamination inside you is already so severe. It's far too dangerous for you to go in alone!" Donghua hurriedly tried to stop him. "I'll go with you. At least we can look after each other."

Ao Guang, Feng Yao, and Qilin Cang also expressed their desire to go with him. Xuan Fu felt warmth in his heart but still shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, fellow Daoists, but I must complete this myself. Guard the valley entrance and prevent anyone sent by the Demon Ancestor from launching a sneak attack. That will be the greatest help you can give me."

With that, Xuan Fu stopped hesitating. He circulated the Life-Destruction Talisman Path, and four-colored talisman light wrapped around his body as he flew into the valley. The energy turbulence inside was indeed violent, constantly battering his talisman-light barrier. The Demonic Contamination Power inside him was also drawn out and began to rage madly. Xuan Fu clenched his teeth and forcibly stabilized his body, flying toward the Dragon Vein Eye at the deepest part of the valley by following the guidance of the Dragon Vein's power.

The Dragon Vein Eye lay in the center of Taiji Valley. It was a massive spring from which pure Dragon Vein Power constantly surged, forming a pillar of light that pierced the heavens. Yin and yang energy circled around the pillar. Within it, a vague Taiji shadow could be seen drifting up and down. It was clearly the aura of the Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment.

Xuan Fu's heart leaped with joy, and he immediately sped up, arriving beside the Dragon Vein Eye. He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, sinking his Spiritual Sense into his body as he began circulating the Life-Destruction Talisman Path. Four-colored talisman light slowly rose and resonated with the pillar of light above the Dragon Vein Eye, forming a wondrous energy bridge.

"Draw it out!"

Xuan Fu shouted in a low voice. The Life-Destruction Talisman Path erupted with full force, and the four-colored talisman light followed the energy bridge toward the Taiji shadow. The Taiji shadow seemed to sense the summons of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path. It slowly flew out of the pillar of light and landed before Xuan Fu. It was a fragment the size of a palm, its surface covered in yin-yang patterns. It radiated dense power of yin-yang balance, which shared an affinity with his Life-Destruction Talisman Path.

Xuan Fu did not hesitate and clasped the fragment in his hand. The moment it touched his palm, it transformed into a streak of black-and-white light and merged into his Talisman Path Core. The power of yin-yang balance erupted instantly, like rain after a long drought, rapidly washing away the Demonic Contamination inside him. Under the cleansing of the yin-yang power, the Black Marks began to recede rapidly, and the Four-Colored Light also regained its brilliance.

Xuan Fu was overjoyed. He hurriedly circulated the Life-Destruction Talisman Path, working with the yin-yang power to accelerate the purification of the Demonic Contamination. The balance of life and destruction resonated with the balance of yin and yang, forming an even greater energy cycle. The Demonic Contamination inside him decreased at a visible rate, and his Spiritual Sense grew clearer and clearer.

Just as the Demonic Contamination was about to be completely purified, a sudden transformation occurred.

The Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment fused into his Talisman Path Core suddenly erupted with a strange black light. A thread of extremely faint demonic markings was actually hidden within the yin-yang patterns on the fragment's surface. This demonic mark shared the same origin as the Demonic Contamination inside him. It was Demon Ancestor Luohu's imprint!

"Not good!" Xuan Fu was horrified. He had never expected Demon Ancestor Luohu to have already left an imprint on the Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment. Clearly, Luohu had anticipated that he would come searching for the fragment and had set this trap in advance.

The black demonic mark erupted instantly, resonating with the Demonic Contamination that had yet to be completely purified inside him and surging madly back toward the Talisman Path Core. The yin-yang power was forcibly suppressed by the demonic mark, and the cycle of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path was broken. The Four-Colored Light dimmed again, while the Black Marks spread at an even faster rate than before.

Xuan Fu felt the world spin around him, and his Spiritual Sense once more sank into chaos. Demon Ancestor Luohu's voice rang out in his mind. "Fellow Daoist Mystic Talisman, I told you that you couldn't escape. This Innate Taiji Diagram Fragment was a gift I prepared for you. With it, you will become the Venerable One's most perfect puppet!"

"No! I will never admit defeat!" A trace of resolve flashed in Xuan Fu's eyes. He forcibly circulated the last sliver of clarity in his Spiritual Sense and urged the power of the "destruction" aspect of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path to slash toward the black demonic mark and the Demonic Contamination. He knew this was his final chance. If he failed, he would become the Demon Ancestor's puppet completely, and the Primordial Wilderness would fall into an irredeemable calamity.

The power of the "destruction" aspect of the Life-Destruction Talisman Path collided with the Demonic Contamination and the black demonic mark. The Talisman Path Core trembled violently, and cracks covered Xuan Fu's talisman body, which could collapse at any moment. But he did not give up. He clung desperately to the final sliver of clarity, continuously urging the power of "destruction" as he struggled against the Demonic Contamination.

At that moment, intense sounds of battle came from outside Taiji Valley. Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense vaguely sensed that a massive number of demonic beings were attacking the valley entrance. The Demon Bone General had actually returned, bringing even more Demon Generals with him. Donghua and the Three Clan Experts were fighting desperately to hold them back, but they were clearly beginning to falter.

Inside the valley, Xuan Fu was locked in a final stalemate with the Demonic Contamination. Outside the valley, Donghua and the Three Clan Experts were besieged by an army of demonic beings.

What alarmed him even more was that deep within his Spiritual Sense, he could feel Demon Ancestor Luohu slowly awakening in the depths of the Chaos. An even more terrifying demonic pressure was rapidly spreading toward the Kunlun Mountain Range.

The Demon Ancestor's laughter grew clearer and clearer in Xuan Fu's mind. "Fellow Daoist Mystic Talisman, give up. Your Life-Destruction Talisman Path can never defeat the Venerable One's Demonic Contamination Power. Submit to the Venerable One and rule the Primordial Wilderness together with me. That is your only path..."

Xuan Fu's gaze struggled repeatedly between clarity and chaos. The Life-Destruction Talisman Path inside him collided with the Demonic Contamination, producing violent energy fluctuations. He knew he had reached a critical moment between life and death, and his choice would directly determine the fate of the entire Primordial Wilderness.

Just then, deep within his Talisman Path Core, the fully fused Chaos Annihilation Talisman Seal suddenly erupted with a faint golden light. The light resonated with the yin-yang power and the power of life and death, temporarily suppressing the spread of the black demonic mark.

Xuan Fu's heart stirred. He seemed to have thought of a Method to Break the Situation. But he was not certain whether it would work. If he failed, he would fall into an irredeemable calamity.

Demon Ancestor Luohu's demonic pressure had already enveloped the entire Kunlun Mountain Range, and the sounds of battle outside the valley were growing weaker and weaker. Clearly, Donghua and the Three Clan Experts were nearly unable to hold on.

Xuan Fu took a deep breath, and a trace of resolve flashed through his eyes. He had no time to hesitate. He could only take the gamble!

He slowly closed his eyes and sank his Spiritual Sense into the Talisman Path Core. Then he began urging the Chaos Annihilation Talisman Seal, the Life-Destruction Talisman Path, and the yin-yang power to slowly merge toward the black demonic mark.