Starfall City

Although Shi Lan had only just entered the sixth layer of the Body Tempering Realm, her strength surpassed that of ordinary seventh-layer Body Tempering Realm martial artists.

Shi Lan rubbed her arm. Feeling the familiar softness, she was a little puzzled. Training according to the Vajra Divine Fist shouldn't turn her into a bodybuilder, but her muscles and bones ought to have grown much firmer.

Yet her body was just as it had always been, hardly different from before she began practicing martial arts. Only her flexibility had improved considerably.

Shi Feng tossed a freshly cleaned bull-like demonic beast onto the ground and handed Shi Lan the saber in his hand.

A glimmer of excitement flashed in Shi Lan's eyes. She licked her lips, took the saber, and began preparing the meat.

At first, Shi Feng had handled all this work. But after eating his roasted meat twice, Shi Lan had decided to make do for herself and ensure she ate well.

Shi Feng was certainly powerful, but his roasting skills were nothing special. The meat was merely edible.

Just as she put the meat on the grill, a tremendous rumble like an earthquake came from far away.

"What's that...?"

Looking toward the horizon, where a black line had appeared, Shi Feng narrowed his eyes slightly.

The line raced toward them at incredible speed. As it drew nearer, Shi Lan could make out its true form: a cavalry troop clad in black armor and wearing masks, riding magnificent steeds that resembled horned dragons.

There were fewer than a hundred riders, yet the thunder of their charge sounded like a thousand-strong army crossing the land.

What drew Shi Lan's attention most was the black banner with gold characters flying among them.

"Suppress Demons..."

Those two words seemed to hold some kind of magic, etching themselves deep into Shi Lan's mind.

In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the cavalry reached them. They slowed slightly, glanced at Shi Lan and Shi Feng, then rode straight past without stopping.

"Why has the Demon Suppression Army come here...?" Shi Feng murmured, a sense of foreboding stirring in his heart.

This place was at least tens of thousands of li from the battlefront Shi Tianlu had told him about. The Demon Suppression Army had always been stationed at the front lines, suppressing demonic beasts. If they were nearby, then a large horde of beasts couldn't be far away.

Could it be that all the territory stretching tens of thousands of li had already...

"Shi Feng, do you know who those people are?" Shi Lan asked, having heard him mutter.

Shi Feng came back to himself. "Young Master, let's take a detour and head northeast."

"Why? Because of that group just now?"

"This area is dangerous." Shi Feng briefly explained the Demon Suppression Army's origins and what their presence here meant.

Shi Lan didn't hesitate for long. She nodded and agreed, choosing to keep herself safe.

After changing course and traveling for seven or eight days, they began to realize something was wrong. The farther northeast they went, the more frequently they encountered the Demon Suppression Army.

At first, they saw them once every two days. Later, they ran into them three or four times a day.

The unusual pattern made Shi Feng uneasy.

Finally, after encountering a fifth group of Demon Suppression Army cavalry in a single day, Shi Feng could no longer contain his doubts. He stopped the dozens of riders and asked, "May I ask what has happened up ahead? Why are so many members of the Demon Suppression Army patrolling this area?"

From the riders, Shi Feng learned a shocking piece of news.

After a Demon Emperor attacked Yunshan Gorge and inflicted heavy losses, more than a dozen strongholds—including Hukou Gorge, Yangxing Ridge, Xiquan Crossing, and Tiandao Peak—had fallen one after another.

The Demon Race had launched a massive invasion, and the Chengtian Domain had long since become a battlefield. There was no longer any front line; everyone was fighting on their own.

After hearing the news, Shi Lan and Shi Feng no longer dared to change direction recklessly. They could only grit their teeth and continue traveling away from the boundless Demon Domain.

Three days later, Shi Lan and Shi Feng finally spotted a city.

It was far larger than Tenglong City, with walls nearly twenty zhang high. The walls still bore clear signs of hurried construction, evidently having been raised only recently.

"Starfall City..."

Shi Lan murmured the name and led her horse toward the gates.

After a brief inspection by the gate guards, they entered the city. Black-armored patrols were everywhere.

Shi Lan estimated that Starfall City was at least five or six times the size of Tenglong City.

There were very few people on the streets, and even those they did see hurried along with anxious expressions.

After walking around for a while, Shi Lan and Shi Feng found an inn. After so long braving the elements on the road, Shi Lan had almost forgotten what it felt like to sleep in a bed and take a hot bath.

Shi Lan knocked on the counter, waking the innkeeper, who had been dozing behind it.

The innkeeper, around sixty years old, lifted his eyelids and yawned. "Honored guests, this little inn is out of food and drink. If you're looking for lodging, go upstairs. You can stay in any empty room, free of charge."

"Shopkeeper, has something happened in Starfall City? Could you tell us about it?" Seeing how unconcerned the innkeeper seemed, Shi Lan furrowed her brow slightly.

"It's all those demonic beasts' fault." The innkeeper let out a long sigh.

"The Demon Suppression Army has taken complete control of Starfall City, and all supplies have been requisitioned. The people who used to live here have either fled or been sent away in waves. I'll probably be next before long."

No wonder the city was so large, yet its streets were nearly deserted.

"Now I'm the only one left in this inn. If you don't mind, stay here. There's a well in the back courtyard; help yourselves to the water. But if you want to find somewhere to eat, you'll have to look elsewhere."

Shi Lan thanked the innkeeper, carried her luggage upstairs, and settled into an empty room.

Shi Feng led the horse to the inn's back courtyard and, after making sure it was taken care of, went out to gather information.

After putting away her luggage, Shi Lan went downstairs and asked to use the kitchen. She boiled several pots of water and enjoyed a comfortable hot bath. On the road, even a hot bath had become a luxury.

Shi Feng returned to the inn soon after he finished gathering information.

"Young Master, we'll leave tomorrow for the territory of the Shengwu Immortal Sect."

"Why the rush?"

"Starfall City is too dangerous. Just the day before yesterday, Huangsha City, nine hundred li to the northwest, fell to a beast tide. It could reach this place at any moment."

Shi Lan nodded. "We'll do as you say. How far is the Shengwu Immortal Sect from here?"

"About ninety thousand li."

"Ninety thousand li?! How long will that take?" The distance startled Shi Lan. She counted on her fingers. Was that more than a lap around the Earth?

Shi Feng shook his head with a smile. "It won't take that long. I can fly on my artifact and cover two thousand li a day. We should arrive in about a month and a half."