Small Town Outside the City

Outside the town, a small settlement named Shanfo Town, where it was said a Mountain Buddha was enshrined.

It was the Mountain Buddha's divine light that had repelled the darkness and protected this pure land.

Fang Mu, carrying Fang Jing, ran at full speed, not daring to waste any time.

As the sky gradually darkened, he finally entered the town with Fang Jing on his back.

The moment Fang Mu stepped into the town, the sky had completely darkened.

As night fell upon the town, roars and screams suddenly echoed from the darkness in the distance.

The terrifying sounds were like those of night owls and vengeful spirits.

Shadowy figures, hidden in the darkness, flickered into view and darted towards the town.

"Brother!" Fang Jing, perched on Fang Mu's back, stared fearfully at the shadowy figures flashing in the darkness.

Fang Mu retreated into the town, holding his long sword, his face tense and solemn, staring intently at the figures that were approaching like phantoms from the darkness.

"Ah!"

A series of piercing screams rang out, and Fang Mu watched in shock as a golden barrier rose around the town's perimeter.

The town was enveloped in golden light, and any dark figures that touched the golden light instantly dissolved into black mist.

Fang Mu's face was filled with shock as he looked at the Buddha's image that suddenly appeared above the town, his mind almost captivated.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the Demon Refining Mirror emitted a cool sensation, instantly bringing him back to his senses. He dared not look up at the Buddha's image again.

As the dark figures outside the town retreated into the shadows, the heavenly Buddha light dimmed considerably, and the Buddha's image in the sky faded and disappeared.

Looking at the town enveloped in a faint golden light, Fang Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

"That golden light must be the divine light from the Mountain Buddha enshrined in the town. Since it's here, the townspeople must have suffered harm for another reason."

Fang Mu muttered to himself, put down Fang Jing, and slowly walked into the town with her.

The town was so quiet that not a sound could be heard. Faintly, Fang Mu could smell a pungent scent of blood.

When he reached a small path, he saw many collapsed houses.

The town seemed to have experienced a great battle. In some of the collapsed courtyards and houses, he saw skeletons stripped of their flesh and blood.

"Ah!"

Fang Jing cried out and hid behind Fang Mu, not daring to look at the skeletons.

Seeing the silent town, Fang Mu released his clone to protect Fang Jing.

The clone, dressed in black, stood by Fang Jing's side like a loyal guard.

Fang Mu examined the bodies and found that the few skeletons that still had some flesh and blood attached had bite marks on them.

If his guess was correct, the flesh and blood on the bodies had been gnawed by some kind of beast.

This meant that the culprits were likely powerful beasts or demons.

Following the path through the ruined town, Fang Mu searched the entire settlement and found many corpses.

These blood-stained bodies all bore claw marks and bite marks.

Therefore, Fang Mu was almost certain that the townspeople had been attacked by beasts, leading to their deaths and their flesh and blood being devoured.

"Bang! Boom boom." Suddenly, the sound of roaring combat erupted from behind him.

Fang Mu turned his head and saw his clone fighting a shadowy figure not far away.

Without time to think, Fang Mu flashed and turned into an afterimage, quickly heading towards the commotion.

"Xiao Jing! Are you alright?" Fang Mu appeared beside Fang Jing, asking with concern.

"Brother! I... I'm fine!" Fang Jing said fearfully, hiding in a corner.

Seeing that Fang Jing was unharmed, Fang Mu then looked at the shadowy figure fighting his clone not far away.

It was a wolf demon with brutal and ferocious eyes, its fangs stained with blood, and its body emanating a strong scent of blood.

Through his black pupils, Fang Mu discovered that the wolf demon's blood essence and demonic energy were extremely dense, almost in a state of full power.

It had clearly consumed the townspeople to replenish its blood essence.

The clone's cultivation was already at the Martial Artist Seventh Rank, and coupled with its own cultivation of demonic energy, it was not suppressed by the wolf demon's aura.

However, even with the clone's full effort, it couldn't defeat the wolf demon and was instead injured by it.

Fang Mu looked around the empty surroundings and quietly instructed Fang Jing, "Xiao Jing, stay put and don't wander off."

With that, Fang Mu raised his sword and charged at the wolf demon, joining forces with his clone to surround and attack it.

Amidst a series of booming screams, Fang Mu, unleashing his full strength, dropped his long sword and attacked with his fists.

The wolf demon cried out repeatedly, being pummeled by Fang Mu's every blow, sent flying like a sandbag.

Fang Mu hadn't gone all out in a long time, and his cultivation was still only at the Martial Artist Seventh Rank.

However, his physical body had consumed so many elixirs that it was already difficult for ordinary swords to wound, and he himself didn't know how strong he was.

Now that he could send the wolf demon flying like a sandbag, Fang Mu had a better understanding of his own strength.

"Roar!"

An enraged roar sounded. The demon wolf, sent flying by Fang Mu's punch, suddenly seized the opportunity to pounce on Fang Jing, who was near the ruined courtyard wall.

"Ah!"

"Xiao Jing!!"

Seeing the demon wolf bite Fang Jing's arm and flee towards the outskirts of the town, Fang Mu cried out in alarm and transformed into an afterimage, chasing after it.

The demon wolf, rushing out of the town and reaching the edge of the town's protective light, released Fang Jing from its bite.

Glancing back at Fang Mu, who had caught up, the demon wolf swatted Fang Jing away with a claw.

"Xiao Jing!"

Fang Mu's eyes were about to split open as he watched Fang Jing fly out of the area covered by the town's light.

Without hesitation, he activated Extreme Wind Speed, turning into an afterimage and streaking out of the town.

Fang Mu flew into the air and caught Fang Jing, whose face was filled with terror.

Having left the town's protective light, he, holding Fang Jing, fell into the darkness outside the town.

"Brother, I'm sorry! I dragged you down!!" Fang Jing sobbed, hugging Fang Mu.

"Silly girl! Without you, how lonely would I be in this world?"

Fang Mu ruffled Fang Jing's hair, looking at his body gradually blackening from his feet upwards. For the first time, he felt the presence of death.

But he had no regrets about his choice. Even if it meant his soul would dissipate, he would protect the person he wanted to protect.

If one had no conviction, what was the difference between living and dying?

As the darkness spread upwards, Fang Jing, tears streaming down her face, held Fang Mu tightly.

Her heart was filled with unwillingness. She didn't want to drag Fang Mu to his death, nor did she want to be swallowed by the darkness and die like this.

"No...!"

Fang Jing's cry of unwillingness rang out. The darkness that was about to engulf them suddenly stopped.

Countless shadowy figures lunged from the darkness. Just as they were about to swallow Fang Mu and Fang Jing.

A light suddenly shone from Fang Jing's body. It was a holy and gentle light, sacred and bright.

The white light enveloped Fang Mu and Fang Jing, dispelling the darkness and purifying the shadowy figures that lunged at them.

Fang Mu, who had been awaiting death, was filled with shock.

He watched the darkness recede, his body returning to normal.

Looking at Fang Jing, whose face was pale and enveloped in holy light, he was filled with disbelief.

At that moment, Fang Jing suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining Fang Mu's clothes.

"Xiao Jing!"

Fang Mu snapped back to reality in shock and quickly carried her into the town.

As soon as they entered the town, the holy light around Fang Jing gradually faded, and she fell unconscious.

Looking at Fang Jing, whose face was as pale as paper, Fang Mu felt both heartache and anger.

After feeding Fang Jing some pills, Fang Mu recalled his clone, which had been fiercely attacking the demon wolf.

As the clone flashed back, Fang Mu, with burning rage in his eyes, walked step by step towards the demon wolf.

The demon wolf was terrified. Sensing the undisguised killing intent emanating from Fang Mu, it immediately caved, prostrating itself and kneeling, indicating its willingness to submit.

Outside the town lay endless darkness. The demon wolf, even with a hundred times its courage, would not dare to step into the darkness, so it could only beg for mercy.

"Awooo...!"

Amidst the continuous screams, the demon wolf died a miserable death, being smashed and battered by Fang Mu's direct blows.

Setting aside the fact that the demon wolf had eaten the town's residents, the mere fact that it had nearly killed Fang Jing and him was enough reason for Fang Mu not to let it go. If begging for mercy worked, why would people fight and kill each other?