Spring Eye Destroyed

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji stood before the Yin Fiend Spring, his expression solemn. Spiritual power surged around him like a boiling river, pouring entirely into the ancient Peach Wood Sword in his hand.

The restrained golden light on the blade now blazed like the sun. Countless fine Maoshan runes emerged along its spine, flowing and humming with the resonance of the Dao.

A vast, righteous sword intent that cleansed evil shot into the sky, temporarily dispersing the dense gray-black mist around them.

"Righteous energy of heaven and earth, everlasting and vast! True Maoshan lineage, shatter evil and reveal righteousness! By my command!"

He exhaled and shouted, his voice booming like thunder as the Peach Wood Sword in his hand thrust forward!

It did not strike directly at the spring. Instead, its tip pointed at the cores of the dark-red stone pillars maintaining the formation, as well as the phantom of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner floating above the spring!

A brilliant sword force, condensed to the utmost extreme and resembling a stream of molten crimson gold, erupted from the sword tip!

Where the sword force passed, the air warped with a sharp sound like tearing cloth. The Yin Fiend black mist that tried to block it met its nemesis and instantly evaporated!

"Rumble—!!!"

The crimson-gold sword force struck the connection between the formation core and the phantom of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner with unerring precision!

A deafening crash, as if heaven and earth were collapsing, rang out!

Those dark-red stone pillars could no longer withstand that supremely yang, supremely fierce destructive power. The sinister runes on their surfaces cracked inch by inch, and the pillars themselves filled with fractures before exploding in a blinding burst of interwoven gold and black light, turning to dust!

Without the formation to sustain it, the phantom of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner let out a shrill, despairing screech and twisted violently. Countless agonized faces on its surface struggled to break free, but ultimately vanished like bubbles. With a bang, it completely dispersed into pure Yin Fiend energy, which was thoroughly purified and scattered by the crimson-gold sword intent that followed!

At the same time, the Yin Fiend Spring that had been continuously spewing pitch-black spring water also suffered a fatal blow.

The sinister runes around the spring were swept by the residual force of the sword aura, dimming and shattering one after another.

The spring itself suddenly stalled, then made a strange gurgling sound as though someone had seized its throat. The gushing water abruptly ceased, leaving only wisps of black vapor leaking out. It eventually dried up completely, leaving behind nothing but an ugly pit covered in cracks.

The concentration of Yin Fiend energy throughout the entire boulder forest began to fall at a visible rate.

Though the environment here remained harsh, the core that had continuously supplied pure Yin Fiend power had been utterly destroyed.

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji slowly sheathed his sword. His face was slightly pale, and his breathing was somewhat unsteady.

That strike had nearly exhausted more than half his spiritual power. It was one of Maoshan's secret killing techniques, immensely powerful and equally draining.

He looked at the ruined spring and the dissipated banner phantom, and a trace of relief flashed through his eyes.

"The node has been destroyed. The Yin Fiend energy within a hundred li of this place will gradually settle. For the near future, the Black Fiend Sect and Netherworld will find it difficult to use this place to stir up trouble again."

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the corpses of the Black Robe Cultists. "Clean up the battlefield and withdraw at once! The disturbance here was too great. It may draw other trouble."

Chen Feng, Zhao Gan, and the others immediately got to work, quickly checking the unconscious or dead cultists, finishing off any survivors, and searching for valuable intelligence or tokens.

Mo Yuan also suppressed the slight discomfort caused by forcibly activating his life-source energy and using the Swift Lightning Step, then joined the cleanup.

On the Netherworld assassin he had killed, he found a black token that was neither metal nor wood, icy cold to the touch. A twisted ghostly face was carved on its front, while a complex serial number was engraved on the back. There was nothing else. He handed the token to Uncle-Master Xuan Ji.

"Netherworld Kill Token..."

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji accepted the token, his eyes turning even colder. "Those who carry this token are all core assassins of Netherworld.

"It seems they are determined to get you.

"I will bring this item back to the sect. We may be able to trace some clues through it."

Before long, the battlefield had been cleaned up. Other than the Netherworld Kill Token, they found little valuable information. Most Black Fiend Sect cultists carried only low-level sinister cultivation materials and a small amount of spirit stones.

"Go!" Uncle-Master Xuan Ji did not delay further. He called to the group and swiftly retreated along their original route.

The group traveled in silence through the desolate, deathly land at the outskirts of Burial Demon Valley, moving faster than they had on the way in.

Everyone understood that after destroying such an important enemy stronghold, the Black Fiend Sect and Netherworld would never let the matter rest. They had to leave this place of conflict as quickly as possible.

As he hurried onward, Mo Yuan silently reflected on the Swift Lightning Step he had comprehended in that life-and-death moment.

This new movement technique, which fused Heavenly Thunder Pacing the Stars, Ghost Shadow Footwork, the ethereal intent of flowing wind, and his understanding of lightning's extreme speed, was not only astonishingly fast but also possessed unpredictable transformations and concealment effects. At a critical moment, it could turn the tide of battle.

He felt that, with continued practice and refinement, it might become one of his strongest trump cards for survival and surprise attacks.

At the same time, he began to make an initial study of the incomplete volume of the Yi Wood Eternal Life Art.

Though it was only a fragment, the mysteries of life within it, along with its methods of nourishing spiritual power and healing injuries, happened to make up for some of his shortcomings in physical recovery.

Paired with that indestructible strand of life-source energy he had yet to fully absorb, he felt that his ability to survive had greatly improved.

"System, check in."

[Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Medium-Grade Spirit Stone x40, Vajra Talisman (Enhanced) x5, Turtle Breath False Death Art Secret Manual x1, residual aura of the Primordial World: a wisp of dense Earth Essence!]

[Vajra Talisman (Enhanced)]: Provides stronger physical and energy defense.

[Turtle Breath False Death Art Secret Manual]: Conceals all signs of life, simulates a state of death, and can evade divine-sense detection. Can be used for concealment or survival.

[A wisp of dense Earth Essence]: Contains the profound principles of the earth's heaviness and endurance. Can slightly increase defense and spiritual power recovery speed, while assisting comprehension of earth-element spells.

The rewards were as practical as ever. The Vajra Talismans enhanced his defenses, the Turtle Breath False Death Art gave him another means of survival, and the Earth Essence could strengthen his foundation.

Mo Yuan silently committed these gains to memory, intending to absorb and make use of them once they were safe.

The group did not dare stop. Several hours later, they finally left Burial Demon Valley's oppressive range entirely and returned to a relatively normal stretch of barren mountains. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji took out the Azure Wood Boat. Everyone boarded it, and it transformed into a streak of azure light as it sped toward Maoshan.

The atmosphere aboard the flying vessel was no longer as silent as it had been on the journey there.

Having fought a bloody battle side by side, the members of the group had clearly grown much closer.

The looks Chen Feng, Zhao Gan, and the others gave Mo Yuan were now filled with genuine acknowledgment and admiration.

With cultivation at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, he had killed a half-step Foundation Establishment assassin in those circumstances and swiftly regained his fighting strength. Such power and temperament had completely won them over.

"Junior Brother Mo, that movement technique just now was truly marvelous!" Chen Feng could not help praising him.

"And that backhand spear strike was simply incredible!" Zhao Gan echoed. The little resentment he had once held had long since vanished.

Mo Yuan humbly replied a few times but said no more.

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere among the disciples, even Uncle-Master Xuan Ji's stern face softened slightly.

He said to Mo Yuan, "You rendered the greatest service in this mission. When we return, I will report this to the sect master and seek credit for you. However, after this incident, the Netherworld organization has thoroughly set its sights on you. You must be even more careful in the future."

"This disciple understands. Thank you, Uncle-Master." Mo Yuan nodded.

He looked toward the sea of clouds rapidly receding beyond the flying vessel, but he did not feel much relief.

Though the Burial Demon Valley expedition had successfully destroyed one stronghold, it was like poking a hornet's nest, making the enemies hidden in the shadows reveal their fangs more clearly.

The Netherworld organization, the Black Fiend Sect, and their true purpose in searching for the Yin Fiend Spring... all of it hung before him like an enormous mystery and shadow.

Yet his Dao heart had become firmer and purer through each crisis and battle.

"Come, then. Let me see just how turbulent the chaos of this Age of Dharma Decline can become!" Sharp, expectant light flashed in Mo Yuan's eyes.

His path of cultivation was destined to be devoid of peace. Only amid wind and waves could he soar straight into the ninth heavens!

The Azure Wood Boat cut through the sky, carrying them and the dust of their journey as it raced back toward Maoshan.

Behind them, deep within Burial Demon Valley, the Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator who had fled was kneeling before a hidden cavern, reporting the failure of the operation to a vague, terrifying figure in the darkness...