Eighty-Year-Old Mother's Birthday Today!

Meng Qianfan's eyes widened as he looked ahead, the excitement he felt from the Demon Subduing Division's generous reward replaced by sheer terror.

Now, they finally understood why the Demon Subduing Division had been so lavish with their rewards this time.

The scene before them was terrifying.

The entire Black Stone City was shrouded in a dense, ink-like black fog!

The mist churned, separating the inside from the outside, a deathly silence laced with an eerie chill that seeped into their bones.

The strength of the demons lurking within this city was likely beyond imagination!

Meng Qianfan's heart pounded. Even the most precious magical artifact or cultivation technique wasn't worth risking his life for!

He was unwilling to retreat, yet felt going in would be a death sentence.

Suddenly, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and focused his spirit, his chest heaving several times.

When he opened his eyes again, a faint golden light flickered within them as he stared intently at the black fog.

This was a secret technique, Golden Eyes of Barrier Breaking, which he had acquired through a fortunate encounter years ago. Though not top-tier, it had repeatedly helped him see through illusions and glimpse demonic beings.

Even when facing methods set up by a Second-Order Demon, he could barely discern some of its outline.

However, at this moment, as his golden eyes gazed into the fog, it remained an unfathomable, bottomless chaos.

Let alone the sights within the city, he couldn't even find a single crack.

He couldn't see anything at all!

Meng Qianfan's face instantly turned pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The dizziness from the backlash of the secret technique made his heart pound even harder.

Without a moment's hesitation, he abruptly turned and cupped his fists towards Wei Qing, saying:

"Lord... Lord Wei! Forgive me! Meng Qianfan suddenly remembered that it's my eighty-year-old mother's birthday today. I was in such a rush leaving home that I completely forgot!"

"This is a grave sin of filial impiety, and I must return immediately!"

"Therefore... I cannot assist you this time! Farewell!"

Before he even finished speaking, he pushed off the ground and sprinted back the way he came without looking back.

His speed was a good third faster than when he arrived, and he vanished in the blink of an eye.

This scene left Wang Lang and the others stunned and speechless.

Could that excuse about his mother's birthday be any more flimsy?

"Pah! What a coward with no guts!" Xiong Yue couldn't help but spit lowly, his face full of disdain.

This curse, however, made Zhou Xuantong's expression even more uncertain.

Seeing Black Stone City, his heart was equally uneasy. Seeing Meng Qianfan flee so decisively, his desire to retreat grew even stronger.

A glance from the corner of his eye caught Centurion Zhao looking at him. Recalling his refusal to help earlier, his face burned.

If he ran now, wouldn't it confirm his reputation for being greedy for life and profit?

And he would be mocked by a martial artist like Xiong Yue?

He struggled internally: I, Zhou Xuantong, am someone of standing within a hundred miles... If I flee now, how will I establish myself in the future?

Besides, my Light Body technique is proficient. If I encounter real danger, withdrawing will be easier than for that martial artist...

With this thought, he pretended to observe the black fog intently and did not leave.

Wei Qing took it all in, her expression unchanged.

She turned her gaze to the six Demon Subduing Division patrol officers, whose cultivation levels were mostly in the early Qi Induction stage.

Their faces were also filled with tension and fear, but not one of them retreated.

She was silent for a moment and said, "Colleagues, the situation in Black Stone City is unknown. Your cultivation levels are still shallow, and entering would likely mean certain death."

"I, Wei, promise that if anyone here is unwilling to enter the city, you may remove your patrol uniform, leave the Demon Subduing Division, and depart on your own."

The six young patrol officers exchanged glances. Some gulped, others tightened their lips.

Centurion Zhao and Patrolman Li beside him also looked at each other, seeing determination in each other's eyes.

After a few breaths, no one from the Demon Subduing Division moved, no one took off their uniform.

Seeing this, Wei Qing nodded heavily, "Good! You are all fine men of the Demon Subduing Division!"

"Should misfortune befall us, the merits and rewards you have earned today will be recorded by the Division and fully delivered to your relatives and descendants!"

This promise caused the chests of several young patrol officers to swell slightly. Though their fear had not subsided, their eyes held a newfound resolve.

Wang Lang watched from the side, a sense of admiration welling up in his heart for these members of the Demon Subduing Division, who, despite their low cultivation, dared to step into the face of despair.

Wei Qing said no more. She took a deep breath, and her aura suddenly changed!

With a clear, sharp cry, a majestic azure energy surged from within her, rapidly condensing in the air behind her and taking form!

In the blink of an eye, a colossal phantom, three zhang tall, with a entwined tortoise and snake, appeared proudly!

Its tortoise shell was as heavy as a mountain, and the black snake raised its head in a coiling embrace, exuding a vast aura that suppressed all!

"Black Tortoise Dharma Idol!"

"That's a Dharma Idol of the Spirit Condensation Realm!"

Xiong Yue, Zhou Xuantong, and the others were mesmerized.

This was the power of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

Wang Lang also gazed at the Black Tortoise Dharma Idol, silently comparing it to his own.

The Dharma Idol conjured by his Vajra Subduing Demons Sutra was an embodiment of Vajra Qi, a wrathful Vajra.

Wei Qing's Dharma Idol, however, was a projection of spiritual power manifesting as a colossal beast's phantom. It seemed to be a different approach entirely.

With a thought, Wei Qing moved. The giant tortoise's foot from the Black Tortoise phantom behind him stomped fiercely towards the tightly shut city gates of Black Stone City, shrouded in black mist!

BOOM!!

Amidst the thunderous sound, the thick, iron-banded city gates, along with a portion of the gatehouse walls, instantly shattered into pieces!

A passage was violently broken open.

"Enter the city!"

Wei Qing stepped in first. The azure light of his Black Tortoise Dharma Idol illuminated the three feet around him, forcing back the black mist that attempted to close in.

Wang Lang followed closely, a faint golden light flickering around his body.

The others dared not delay, activating their protective measures and entering one after another.

The scene within the city was even more suffocating than what they had sensed from outside.

It was eerie and chilling, with a biting wind.

The streets were vast and silent, the air thick with the stench of blood.

Wei Qing led the way, his brow furrowed. With a flick of his wrist, several talismans held between his fingers were flung backward without him even looking.

The talismans flew accurately towards Wang Lang, Zhou Xuantong, and every Demon Subduing Division patrolman.

"Everyone, take these. This is a Purifying Talisman. It can slightly dispel the evil mist around you and maintain clarity of mind."

After speaking, several more streams of light flew out. "This is a Bright Light Talisman. It can provide long-lasting illumination."

Wang Lang caught the two talismans that flew to him and thought to himself:

As expected of the Guard Pacifier. This guy's resources... are truly rich.

The sheer number of talismans scattered in this instance was considerable and valuable.

With the talismans' aid, their visibility improved significantly.

Although Black Stone City was not a massive metropolis, it still had nearly ten thousand residents, with crisscrossing streets and alleys.

Searching blindly without a target would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Wei Qing then asked, "Young Master Wang, you mentioned earlier that construction was underway in the western part of the city. Are there any special buildings in that area?"

Wang Lang recalled for a moment. "In the central area, there seemed to be a rather tall stone platform."

"A high platform..." Wei Qing's eyes flashed with sharp light. "Good, let's head west to investigate the situation first."

The group adjusted their direction and hurried forward under Wei Qing's lead.

The further west they went, the stronger the smell of blood became.

Strangely, apart from the pervasive black mist, they encountered no living creatures at all.

Whether it were demons, the city's inhabitants, or even insects and rodents.

The entire city felt like a tomb wrapped in black mist.

This oppressive stillness was more unnerving than direct combat.

Finally, they approached the edge of the western district.

Passing through the last narrow alley, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

However, when the light from the Bright Light Talismans illuminated the scene, everyone's hearts trembled, and they gasped in shock!

As far as the eye could see, it wasn't an open space at all, but a slaughterhouse!

On the ground, countless corpses of varying degrees of decay were piled layer upon layer!

There were humans of all ages and genders, twisted and entangled.

There were also large quantities of livestock carcasses, such as cattle, sheep, and pigs.

Most of the flesh and blood had rotted and blackened, revealing stark white bones.

Thick, almost black, bloodstains flowed slowly in the grooves of the ground like small streams.

All of it converged in one direction: towards a colossal, towering stone structure.

It was a square stone platform, over ten zhang high!

The platform was built from rough, massive stones.

At the base of the high platform, several large vats were visible, into which the converging bloodstains were continuously pouring.

On the front of the high platform, three mottled characters could be vaguely discerned: Star Gazing Platform.