Deep Mountain Pursuit, Demonic Shadow Finally Appears

The next morning, as dawn broke, the Fuchang County Xuntian Guard outpost was already bustling with activity, the atmosphere tense and solemn.

Zhao Kuangfeng, clad in light armor and with a broad-bladed saber at his waist, stood in the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the twenty elite Xuntian Guards ready for deployment. Li Yifan stood beside him, his dark, fitted attire accentuating his tall, upright figure, his eyes sharp and calm.

"Brothers!" Zhao Kuangfeng's voice boomed with unquestionable authority. "Based on the clues uncovered last night, the Corpse Demon Old Monster, Nie Wuya, is highly likely hiding in the deep mountains around Black Bear Ridge! This villain is vicious and cunning, with profound cultivation. This mission is extremely perilous! However, seeking justice for the innocent lives tragically lost is the sacred duty of us Xuntian Guards! Today, as we enter the mountains, you must remain fully alert, obey all commands, and no one is to act on their own!"

"Yes! We will obey the Lord's command!" the men responded in unison, their voices echoing through the courtyard.

"Depart!" Zhao Kuangfeng waved his hand grandly.

The team set off rapidly, the sound of hooves shattering the morning tranquility. The gates of Fuchang County had already received orders, and the guards stood at attention on either side, watching the grim and determined team exit the city and head directly towards Black Bear Ridge in the southeast.

Black Bear Ridge was about thirty li from the county town, serving as the gateway to the continuous branches of the Black Stone Mountains. The terrain was steep, the forests dense, perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, and rarely visited by humans. Legend had it that a black bear had once become a spirit, hence its name. It was a dangerous place that local hunters and herb gatherers dared not venture into lightly.

An hour later, the team arrived at the foot of Black Bear Ridge. Looking up, they saw majestic mountains, ancient trees reaching for the sky, and a rugged, narrow mountain path winding upwards, disappearing into the dense fog. The air was filled with the scent of damp vegetation and a unique chill found only in deep mountains.

"Dismount!" Zhao Kuangfeng ordered. "The mountain path is difficult to traverse. Leave the horses here. Captain Liu will lead men to guard them and be responsible for support."

"Yes!" Liu Ming accepted the order and arranged for men to establish a temporary camp at the foot of the mountain.

Zhao Kuangfeng looked at Li Yifan and said in a deep voice, "Yifan, you are the most sensitive to the old ghost's aura, and your tracking skills are the best. You will lead Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi as the vanguard to scout ahead. Remain vigilant, and if you find any trace, immediately signal an alarm! The main force will maintain a distance of a hundred paces behind you, ready to provide support at any time!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Li Yifan cupped his fists and accepted the order. He knew this was the most reasonable arrangement. His Detection skill and familiarity with Nie Wuya's aura were key to the pursuit.

He called out the names of Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi, who immediately stepped forward, their expressions solemn. Qian Xiaoliu was skilled in reconnaissance, and Sun Shi was meticulous; both were excellent scouts.

"Let's go!" Li Yifan gave a low shout and moved, stepping onto the rugged mountain path first. He didn't use his Netherworld Ghost Shadow Steps for rapid advance but controlled his movement to a light and stealthy state, moving through rocks and trees like a nimble cat, while his spiritual sense was highly concentrated, carefully perceiving everything around him.

Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi followed closely, the three forming a triangular formation, supporting each other as they carefully climbed upwards.

The mountain path was slippery, covered in moss and fallen leaves. The higher they went, the denser the fog became, reducing visibility. The surroundings grew increasingly silent, with only the occasional bird call and the rustling of leaves in the wind adding to the eerie atmosphere.

As Li Yifan moved forward, he carefully observed the ground and the surrounding vegetation. He soon discovered something unusual. On some soft soil or fallen leaves, he could vaguely discern extremely faint, almost indiscernible footprints. These footprints had a large stride and landed very lightly; if not for his exceptional eyesight, he would have barely noticed them. Moreover, a faint, chilling aura lingered in the footprints, originating from the same source he had sensed at the Zhang family mansion!

"We've found something!" Li Yifan stopped, crouched down, and examined a footprint closely. "These are traces left by Nie Wuya. They should be from a few days ago."

Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi also gathered around. After careful identification, they both showed expressions of excitement.

"Captain, it seems we're on the right track!" Qian Xiaoliu whispered.

Li Yifan nodded, took out a charcoal pencil he carried, and drew a pre-arranged tracking mark of the Xuntian Guard on an inconspicuous rock, indicating to the following team that the path was safe and that a discovery had been made.

The three continued forward, following the intermittent footprints and the faint chilling aura, heading towards the depths of the mountains. Li Yifan utilized the stealth techniques of his Netherworld Ghost Shadow Steps to their utmost, his steps light and silent, his aura concealed to the lowest possible level, as if he had merged with the surrounding environment. Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi followed his example, trying their best not to make any noise.

After about half an hour of travel, they came across a dilapidated mountain god temple. The temple was small, with most of its walls collapsed and several large holes in the roof, appearing desolate and run-down. This was the place mentioned by the ruffians last night.

Li Yifan made a gesture, and the three immediately dispersed, using the trees and crumbling walls for cover, silently approaching the temple.

The temple was empty, covered in dust and cobwebs. Li Yifan cautiously stepped inside, his spiritual sense spreading out like mercury. He immediately sensed that the residual chilling aura inside the temple was much stronger than outside! Clearly, Nie Wuya had stayed here for a considerable time.

He carefully searched every corner of the temple. In a corner behind the statue, he found a small pile of burnt campfire ashes. Mixed in with the ashes were fine, dark red powder—it was "Red Blood Sand"! And on the ground beside the ashes, there were several carved, twisted, and strange runes. Although damaged, they still emanated faint, sinister fluctuations.

"He stayed here, and... possibly performed some kind of ritual or refinement?" Li Yifan's heart grew solemn. The Red Blood Sand and these runes were clearly more than just a simple stopover.

Just then, Sun Shi made a new discovery in a patch of grass outside the temple door. He quietly called Li Yifan over.

Li Yifan went to the spot Sun Shi indicated, pushed aside the grass, and saw a small area where the grass and plants were abnormally withered and blackened, and the soil carried a faint foul smell.

"This is... a trace eroded by yin and evil energy!" Li Yifan's expression turned grim. This trace was very fresh, no more than two days old. It indicated that Nie Wuya might have returned here after committing his crimes, or at least passed through here!

He immediately left another mark and transmitted the discovered situation to the main force following a hundred paces behind using a specific bird call signal.

A moment later, Zhao Kuangfeng arrived with the main force, who had quietly reached the temple. After examining the traces Li Yifan had found, a cold glint intensified in Zhao Kuangfeng's eyes. "This old ghost really treated this place as a temporary base! Judging by these traces, he's likely still active nearby!"

"Lord Zhao, judging by the residual aura and traces here, Nie Wuya seems to have headed towards the deeper 'Ghostly Sorrow' canyon," Li Yifan deduced based on the direction of the aura. Ghostly Sorrow Canyon was an even more perilous place in the depths of Black Bear Ridge, with cliffs like knife-cuts on both sides, and the valley perpetually in darkness, with extremely heavy yin energy.

"Ghostly Sorrow..." Zhao Kuangfeng pondered for a moment, then said decisively, "Pursue him! Even if he hides in hell, I will drag him out! Yifan, continue to lead the way, remain vigilant! Everyone, check your weapons and crossbows, prepare for battle!"

The team set off again, with Li Yifan and the other two continuing to scout ahead, heading towards the even deeper and more treacherous Ghostly Sorrow Canyon.

The deeper they went, the more difficult the mountain path became, and the fog thickened to an impenetrable degree, almost to the point where one couldn't see their hand in front of their face. The surroundings were terrifyingly silent; even the sounds of birds and beasts had vanished, as if the entire forest had died. The chilling aura in the air grew increasingly palpable, sending shivers down their spines.

Li Yifan was fully focused, not daring to be careless in the slightest. While tracking the increasingly clear chilling aura, he quietly circulated his Nine Yang True Qi throughout his body to resist the uncomfortable coldness, simultaneously raising his spiritual sense to its limit, wary of attacks that might come from any direction.

Suddenly, Qian Xiaoliu, who was on the flank and responsible for vigilance, let out a low cry, "Captain! Something's wrong!"

Li Yifan and Sun Shi immediately looked in the direction of the sound. They saw that in a dense thicket on the left, a corner of tattered clothing was vaguely visible. The three cautiously approached, pushed aside the bushes, and the sight before them made their hearts sink!

Behind the bushes lay two corpses! Judging by their clothing, they were hunters from the mountains. The corpses also exhibited the terrifying state of dried blood and shriveled bodies, identical to the tragic case at the Zhang family mansion! The time of death could not have been more than a day ago!

"This demon! He's harmed more lives!" Sun Shi gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with rage.

Li Yifan crouched down and carefully examined the bodies. The wounds were on their necks, pierced by sharp claws that had drained their blood. The residual chilling aura was extremely dense, indicating that Nie Wuya had not left this place long ago! He suddenly looked up, towards the depths of the canyon. The source of that chilling aura seemed to be not far ahead!

"Lord! We've found something!" Li Yifan immediately sent out an urgent signal.

Zhao Kuangfeng rushed over with the main force. Upon seeing the two hunter corpses, his expression turned so grim that water could have dripped from it. "Beast!" he spat out the words through clenched teeth, his killing intent almost tangible.

"The traces are fresh, he should be not far ahead!" Li Yifan pointed towards the depths of the fog-shrouded canyon.

Zhao Kuangfeng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, prepare for battle! Form into combat formation and advance slowly! Load your crossbows! Yifan, you will be at the very front with me!"

"Yes!"

The team immediately changed formation, swords were drawn, crossbows were loaded, and the atmosphere became extremely tense. Li Yifan and Zhao Kuangfeng walked side-by-side at the very front, stepping into the dense fog that seemed capable of swallowing everything.

Visibility was less than ten feet, the surroundings were deathly silent, only the suppressed breathing and heartbeats of the group could be heard. Every step forward felt like walking on a knife's edge. The dense, chilling, and silent energy pressed down on everyone's nerves like a tangible force.

Suddenly, Li Yifan's steps halted, his pupils contracting sharply! In his spiritual perception, deep within the dense fog ahead, a powerful, cold, and malevolent aura, like a lurking viper, suddenly became clear!

Almost at the same moment, a hoarse, cold, owl-like cackle echoed from within the fog:

"Hehehehe... Zhao Kuangfeng, and you little brats of the Xuntian Guard... you've finally arrived... this old man has been waiting for you for a long time!"

The Corpse Demon Old Monster, Nie Wuya! He was indeed here! And judging by his tone, he was prepared!