Ashen Territory, early morning.
Chen Jieqi stood on the altar with his eyes closed.
The morning light climbed up from behind the ridge of East Foothills, plating the entire valley in gold.
The white-gold light on the mark between his eyebrows slowly converged. He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.
The silver-white lines on the palm of the hand are brighter than before, extending from the wrist to the fingertips, like a glowing blood vessel.
The voice of Sheng Hui sounded in Soul Ring.
"The light is bright again. It's 10% brighter than yesterday."
Chen Jieqi walked down the altar, and Dugu Yan came out of the chapel, holding the registration book in his hand.
"Message from Bluestone Ridge, Evil Soul Master attacked the village last night. The well at the entrance of the village was contaminated and cannot be drunk."
Chen Jieqi took the register, turned over two pages, and closed it.
"Where is Yang Wudi?"
"In Yaolu."
Chen Jieqi turned around and walked towards the medicine house. Yang Wudi was squatting at the door of the medicine house, holding a herb in his hand and smelling it under his nose. When he saw Chen Jieqi coming, he stood up.
"I heard about Bluestone Ridge."
"Come with me."
Shi Mo and Shi Mo ran over from the edge of the square, each carrying a shield and walking heavily.
"Team Chen, we are going too."
Chen Jieqi glanced at them. "Follow up."
Bluestone Ridge.
The village is located at the foot of the mountain, with dozens of households and earthen walls and thatched roofs.
Under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, several old people were squatting by the well, staring at the black well water in a daze. A woman was sitting on the threshold holding a child. The child's forehead was wrapped with a cloth, and there was blood on the cloth.
Seeing Chen Jieqi walking into the village, the old man stood up with trembling lips.
"Benefactor..."
Chen Jieqi didn't stop, walked to the well, squatted down, and reached into the well water.
The water was cold, but had a sweet rotten smell. The mark between his eyebrows lit up, and white-gold light seeped into the water along his arms.
The well water changed from black to gray, from gray to dark green, and finally returned to transparency.
The old man knelt on the ground and kowtowed. Chen Jieqi stood up without helping him.
"Which direction did Evil Soul Master run?"
"To the west... over the Western Mountains."
Chen Jieqi looked towards the west mountain. In the mountains and forests, the gray-black mist was still billowing.
Holy Light Perception spread out along the wind, and there were seven or eight cold and mixed breaths deep in the Western Mountains. The leading one was at the level of Soul Saint.
"Yang Wudi, your left wing, Shi Mo Shi Mo, front, Yan Sister Yan, seal the retreat to the west."
Yang Wudi picked up the gun, flashed and disappeared into the woods.
Shi Mo Shi Mo carried the shield and walked towards the west mountain.
Chen Jieqi soared into the air, and Wings of Light spread out behind it. Its golden wings were particularly dazzling in the morning light.
He flew towards the west mountain, and Dugu Yan earth walls sprang up from the ground, sealing the entrance of the valley to the west.
Xishan, Evil Soul Master temporary base.
Seven or eight men in gray robes were squatting in the woods, pouring death air into a black porcelain bottle.
The leader Soul Saint stood on a high place, his Soul Ring lit up, two yellow, two purple and three black, and his breath was cold and thick.
Yang Wudi cut in from the side, Soul Breaking Spear stabbed out, the tip of the spear tore the air. A man in gray robe had no time to react, his chest was pierced and he fell to the ground.
Shi Mo Shi Mo pressed up from the front, the two shields came together like a moving wall, knocking the three gray-robed men to the ground.
Evil Soul Master Soul Saint Turned around, the gray-black spear solidified in the palm of his hand, and there was a dark purple electric arc beating on the tip of the spear.
He didn't look at Yang Wudi or Shi Mo Shi Mo. Instead, he raised his head and looked at the golden figure falling from the sky.
"Heir of Light."
Chen Jieqi landed, Ashbringer solidified in the palm of the hand, and white-gold flames flowed on the sword.
Holy Light Domain spread out, and a white-gold light curtain enveloped a fifty-foot radius.
The gray-black mist was illuminated by the light curtain, making a sizzling sound like water dripping on a red-hot iron plate.
Evil Soul Master Soul Saint gritted his teeth and thrust out the spear.
The dark purple electric arc exploded and hit Chen Jieqi's chest.
Yang Wudi's Soul Breaking Spear stabbed from the flank, forcing him to withdraw his attack. Shi Mo Shi Mo's shield pressed up, blocking his retreat.
Chen Jieqi did not retreat. He raised Ashbringer, Sixth Soul Ring lit up under his feet, and Ashbringer dual forms emerged.
"You..."
Chen Jieqi swung his sword, Ashbringer's white-gold flames fell down, Evil Soul Master Soul Saint's body froze, gray-black mist gushes out from the wound, and was burned into nothingness by the holy light.
His body fell to the ground, and the skin under the black robe was smoking.
The remaining men in gray robes fled in all directions and were defeated one by one by Yang Wudi and Shi Mo Shi Mo. The battle ended quickly, less than half a stick of incense.
Chen Jieqi put away his sword and stood in the forest.
The morning light shone through the gaps in the tree crown and fell on the mark between his eyebrows.
The temperature of the brand is still there, hotter than before departure. It's not burning, but the light is converging, pouring into Heart of the Naaru like a tide.
Dugu Yan came over, holding the registration book in his hand, and drew a circle on it.
"The Xishan stronghold is cleared."
Chen Jieqi nodded. He looked in the direction of Bluestone Ridge. The villagers were still kneeling at the entrance of the village and did not get up.
The marks between his eyebrows were slightly bright, and he could feel countless rays of light as thin as hair coming from that direction, warm and dense, like spring rain.
The voice of Sheng Hui sounded in Soul Ring.
"The power of Ashen Awakening depends on the believer's faith. The power of faith accounted for 60% of the sword just now."
Spirit City, Worship Hall.
Qian Renxue stood on the third step, and a light door appeared in front of her. She walked in.
In the illusion, Pope's Palace and Bibi Dong stood high, wearing long black skirts and lowered purple pupils, looking at Qian Renxue in the audience.
Her eyes were cold, as if she were looking at something worth mentioning.
"You're back."
Qian Renxue said nothing.
"Do you think you can surpass me by taking the divine test?" Bibi Dong's mouth curved, and that smile had no warmth.
"You have been inferior to me since you were a child. Your talents are not as good as mine, your character is not as good as mine, and the path you have chosen is not as good as mine."
Qian Renxue's fists were clenched.
"What did you choose? Xue Qinghe? Heaven Dou Crown Prince? Chen Jieqi?" Bibi Dong walked down the steps and approached step by step.
"You made all the wrong choices. You will never be as good as me."
Qian Renxue looked into her eyes, there was no anger or ridicule in those golden pupils, only a bottomless indifference.
It was the shadow she had grown up with since childhood, the wall she was pushed away every time she tried to get closer.
"Are you done?" Qian Renxue said, his voice was very calm.
Bibi Dong stopped.
"I became a god not for you."
Qian Renxue raised his hand, and the white-gold holy light condensed in his palm.
"It's not to prove that I'm better than you, it's for myself."
The holy light exploded, the illusion shattered, and Bibi Dong's figure turned into countless light spots and dissipated.
Qian Renxue stood on the stairs, with the fourth step in front of him. Qian Daoliu's voice came from behind.
"Third level, pass."
She didn't look back and stepped up to the fourth step.
Ashen Territory, night.
Chen Jieqi stood on the altar, the moonlight shining on the bluestone floor. Dugu Bo walked out of the chapel, holding a wine bottle in his hand, and stood next to him.
"The seal of the underground fissure is loosening faster and faster." Dugu Bo took a sip of wine.
"In up to ten days, Stone Gate will turn on by itself."
Chen Jieqi said nothing.
"The black robe side should also be preparing." Dugu Bo placed the wine bottle on the stone steps.
"He only sent spies, the main force has not moved yet. He will come in person on the day when Stone Gate is opened."
Chen Jieqi looked at the ridge in the distance. In the direction Cangmang Mountain Range, gray-black mist surged in the night, a bit thicker than a few days ago.
"Ten days is enough."
Heaven Dou City Outside, wilderness.
Tang San stood on a ridge, looking in the direction of Ashen Territory.
In the distance, white-gold light shines in the night sky, like a star that will not fall.
Clear Sky Hammer solidified in his hand, and the lines on the hammer lit up with a dark golden light.
The murderous aura in his body was surging, not anger or violence, but a kind of cold restlessness, and the holy light was stimulating it.
Tang Hao leaned under the tree with his eyes closed.
"His light is bright again."
Tang San said nothing.
"Are you afraid?" Tang Hao opened his eyes.
"Not afraid."
"Just don't be afraid." Tang Hao stood up and patted his clothes, "If you are afraid, you will lose. Let's go, there are still others ahead."
Tang San withdrew his gaze and followed Tang Hao down the ridge.
Cangmang Mountain Range deep, Evil Soul Master stronghold.
The black-robed master stood on the black stone altar, with a gray-black flame dancing on his fingertips.
In the void in front of him, a mirror made of black mist reflected the altar of Ashen Territory, the white-gold light curtain, and the back of the silver-haired boy in the moonlight.
"The Successor of Light." His voice was low, and the corners of his mouth curved in a cold arc.
"The brighter the light, the clearer we can see when the door is open."
The man in gray robe behind him knelt on the ground.
"Sir, seven outlying strongholds have been wiped out..."
"That's enough." The black-robed master raised his hand, and gray-black flames exploded in his palm.
"There is no need to send any more spies. Wait for Stone Gate to open and when the light is brightest, we will collect it together."
The man in gray robe did not dare to ask any more questions.
The black mist mirror shattered and turned into countless tiny points of light that dispersed in the night wind.