Demon Wolf Star watched the Divine Shadows slaughter demons, then turned to look at the ground, his expression utterly perplexed. Wasn't his own shadow right there?
Why had another one appeared?
Just then, he noticed Wu Qingyao's words in his mind, within Emperor Su's Sect.
Wu Qingyao: Are those shadows one of your divine abilities, Emperor Su?
Black Tiger Emperor: Shadows? What shadows?
Demon Wolf Star: Emperor Su? Holy crap! No wonder! I ran into a shadow with all my strength and spells! It looked exactly like my own shadow!
Emperor Su: Mm. This is one of my divine abilities. I can create shadows of all of you, each with the same strength as the original. I've named them the Divine Shadow Legion. If you ever run into trouble, I'll send the Divine Shadow Legion to help you!
Demon Wolf Star: Wait! The Divine Shadow Legion? Does that mean the one who killed the Bat Queen just now was Xia Tianyi's shadow?
Sword Saint Xia Tianyi: My shadow?
Su Yi showed off again in his mind, then opened his eyes and smiled at Nan Xiaopao. "You can open your eyes now."
Nan Xiaopao had been itching to open them for ages, so the moment she heard him, she did.
"What happened?"
Nan Xiaopao asked hurriedly. She instinctively looked up, but the Bat Queen was nowhere to be seen. All that remained was a hundred-meter-wide hole in the rolling thunderclouds.
Su Yi shrugged. "A mysterious expert struck just now and killed the Bat Queen in an instant. I didn't even get a chance to act."
He even let out a regretful sigh, pretending to be a battle maniac.
"Is that so?"
Nan Xiaopao gave him a doubtful look, then walked over to the railing and surveyed the city below.
By now, the screams in Xiwan City had dwindled, while the monsters' roars had grown louder.
Though the Divine Shadow Legion had only six members, they displayed the overwhelming power to sweep everything before them.
The half-hour time limit almost seemed too long.
Su Yi jumped down with Nan Xiaopao in his arms and landed in the street. "Anything else you want? Let's hurry. We have to leave the city soon."
Nan Xiaopao shook her head. "No. I have to get used to living without products from modern society."
Su Yi laughed at that and took her hand, leading her toward the city gates.
After walking a dozen steps, he suddenly looked back at Xiwan City, where waves of fire and clouds of dust filled the streets. He sighed softly. "I hope you remember this pain and work hard at cultivating!"
Nan Xiaopao tugged at him, trying to comfort him. "Don't dwell on it. You've already done everything you could for this city! Without you, they'd probably all be dead."
She felt reluctant to leave them too, but even less did she want to see Su Yi risk his life fighting.
The two quickly left the city.
Meanwhile, the Divine Shadow Legion had swept away every monster in Xiwan City. They quickly sank into the ground and, when they emerged again, appeared behind Su Yi and Nan Xiaopao. They followed at a distance, unnoticed by Nan Xiaopao.
From the moment the Divine Shadow Legion appeared, it had taken less than fifteen minutes to end the battle. That showed just how powerful they were.
Even so, Xiwan City had suffered countless casualties. Fewer than a hundred thousand people remained.
With the thunderclouds blotting out the sky, the woods were gloomy, as if countless demons and monsters lurked in the shadows. Any ordinary person who entered would surely tremble with fear.
"By the way, how's your aunt's family?"
Su Yi asked. This girl was so scatterbrained—had she actually forgotten about her relatives?
"Manting was chosen by the Luoshui Sect for her exceptional talent. They made an exception and let her parents accompany her to the sect."
Nan Xiaopao's answer made Su Yi understand.
Had Nan Xiaopao been by herself all this time?
Su Yi felt a little guilty, but said nothing. He simply kept it in mind.
"Where are we going next?"
Nan Xiaopao asked curiously. They knew almost nothing about the Desolate Ancient.
At that, Su Yi smiled. "First, we'll head to the grassland. I need to summon my subordinates."
Subordinates?
Did he mean the monsters from the Qiling Land?
Nan Xiaopao immediately guessed the truth. After all, Su Yi had said they would be dealing with monsters in the future.
She didn't particularly dislike the monsters from the Qiling Land. They hadn't bothered Xiwan City during this time.
Besides, they were going to become Su Yi's subordinates.
Soon, they crossed the woods and reached the grassland. The Divine Shadow Legion vanished as well.
He would have to wait a month before using them again.
With the Bat Queen's death, the thunderclouds began to disperse. Sunlight poured down in golden shafts, bathing Xiwan City as if heralding the return of peace and light.
Su Yi led Nan Xiaopao to a huge boulder. He leaped onto it, threw back his head, and let out a long howl. The piercing sound rang out beneath the thunderclouded sky, echoing for a long time.
The citizens who had survived in Xiwan City all heard his call. And since every monster in the city had been killed, they all believed Su Yi was responsible.
"Ah, we've been saved again..."
"How many people died...? Next time, will Su Yi still be able to save us?"
"What are we supposed to do now?"
"I'm the only one left... I'm scared... Mom, Dad..."
"Why do we have to suffer one calamity after another?!"
After the brief battle ended, no cheers rang out in Xiwan City. Despair had yet to lift.
The repeated casualties had crushed most people's spirits.
At the same time, the monsters of the Qiling Land all charged toward the source of the howl.
"Move it! The king is summoning us!"
The Purple-Backed Bear King ran at the head of the pack, waving a wooden club studded with dozens of fangs. Behind him surged a vast host of monsters from all kinds of races, most of them yet to form a Demon Core.
Nan Xiaopao felt the grassland begin to tremble. The shaking grew more and more violent, as if an army of thousands were rushing toward them.
She grew nervous. Su Yi suddenly picked her up and jumped back onto the boulder.
"I want to become a Demon King someday. What do you think?"
Su Yi asked softly. He was afraid Nan Xiaopao might be hostile toward monsters.
He had been diagnosed with the Five Elements Severed Pulse Body and could only cultivate as a monster. There was no turning back now.
If he wanted to return to Earth, he would have to find the Xuanyuan Human Emperor or reach the same heights.
"Of course that's good! Then you'll be safer."
Nan Xiaopao answered without a moment's hesitation.
She wouldn't feel at ease letting Su Yi venture alone among the Demon Race, so she planned to stay by his side.
Ever since awakening her Qiling Holy Body, she had been full of confidence. One day, she would surely be able to help Su Yi.
Su Yi broke into a radiant smile at her answer.
Soon, the first monsters arrived. They surrounded the boulder and prostrated themselves, forming ring after ring. There were two or three hundred of them.
A little while later, the Purple-Backed Bear King arrived with the main force. More than ten thousand monsters had gathered there.
"Great King, is the Bat Queen dead?"
The Purple-Backed Bear King asked cautiously. As he spoke, he kept glancing toward Xiwan City, afraid the Bat Queen might spot him.
The other monsters were just as terrified. The Bat Queen's earlier aura had been overwhelming. Even if every monster in the Qiling Land had joined forces, they still wouldn't have been enough for her to kill.
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