Run for Your Life

In the dense forest, Zhang Yuan raced like the wind.

After cultivating inner force and becoming a martial artist, both his physique and strength had improved enormously. Coupled with his diligent nightly training, his maximum vitality and blood energy had increased day by day.

Most importantly, Zhang Yuan was already very familiar with the terrain in this area.

Thus, the trees that blotted out the sky and the ever-present vines throughout the forest could not hinder his flying steps in the slightest.

For some reason, Zhang Yuan felt an indescribable urgency in his heart at this very moment.

It was precisely this intuition that had prompted him to seek out the Crow Spirit one last time.

And regardless of whether it would heed his warning, Zhang Yuan planned to lie low in the County Town for a while afterward.

He had done all that duty and kindness required of him!

The stream ahead appeared in Zhang Yuan's sight, just as expected.

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and stopped, preparing to call for the Crow Spirit.

The Chen Family's road-clearing progress was quite fast. As the coordination among the young and able-bodied laborers grew more seamless, it would not be long before they entered the Crow Spirit's territory.

By then, the Linhe City God Statue would come along as well.

Although Zhang Yuan did not know what powers this statue possessed, merely thinking about it made him feel that it was not something the Crow Spirit could handle.

Truth be told, Zhang Yuan might have been worrying too much.

The Crow Spirit clearly possessed intelligence; it was not some mindless beast. Faced with danger, it should know how to seek advantage and avoid harm.

Still, if he did not make this trip, Zhang Yuan could not put his mind at ease.

Just call it meddling!

"Crow Brother!"

Zhang Yuan had barely shouted once when two black feathers shot out of the dense woods, reaching him in an instant.

One of the black feathers flashed into Zhang Yuan's chest.

The other exploded soundlessly, transforming in midair into a single large character.

Run!

Zhang Yuan was instantly shocked, his fists clenching tight.

He had come to warn the Crow Spirit, yet now the Crow Spirit was the one issuing him its most severe warning.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Yuan immediately turned and fled in the direction from which he had come.

Aoo—

The next moment, a deep roar passed through the mountain forest and reached his ears from afar.

Every hair on Zhang Yuan's body stood on end, and a powerful fear rose unbidden within him.

Though the sound seemed to come from a great distance, the shock it inflicted upon his spirit was overwhelming.

It was as if some primordial behemoth had awakened from its slumber, proclaiming its existence to everything within a hundred li.

At the same time, it issued its final ultimatum to its enemy!

Zhang Yuan did not know what kind of being the owner of that roar was, but he knew for certain that it stood far above him.

He wished he could grow two more legs, pouring out every ounce of strength as he ran for his life.

After racing several li in one breath, Zhang Yuan suddenly sensed something unusual behind him.

He could not help looking back—and nearly lost his soul in fright!

Great swathes of black fog were sweeping toward him madly, surging and rolling forward at an astonishing speed, swiftly swallowing the mountain forest like a plague.

Its vanguard was already not far from Zhang Yuan.

It was as if he could smell that eerie presence, and goosebumps rose all over his body!

Damn it!

What kind of terrifying existence was that?

Zhang Yuan's scalp nearly exploded, and his fleeing speed miraculously increased by several more degrees.

He successfully burst out of the dense forest.

At that moment, Zhang Yuan immediately spotted the road-clearing team chopping trees not far away.

Hundreds of young, able-bodied men worked like diligent ants, heads bowed over their tasks, utterly unaware of the approaching danger.

Perhaps protected by the City God Statue, they did not fear weirdness.

But could the weirdness behind Zhang Yuan truly not deal with the City God Statue the Chen Family had invited?

Zhang Yuan did not believe this powerful weirdness had been drawn here by him.

It was highly likely that the Chen Family's act of inviting a god to open the mountain had enraged the Great Weirdness entrenched deep within Thousand Peak Mountain.

The conflict had erupted as a result!

That was why the Crow Spirit had warned him.

And in a conflict like this, Zhang Yuan probably did not even qualify as cannon fodder.

He suppressed the urge to run to the road-clearing team and seek the City God Statue's protection, instead fleeing in another direction.

As his figure disappeared into the undergrowth, Zhang Yuan still could not help roaring, "Weirdness is coming! Everyone, run!"

Many of those clearing the mountain and building the road were villagers from Chen Family Village.

Zhang Yuan knew nearly all of them.

He truly could not bear to watch these familiar neighbors become sacrifices.

So he warned everyone.

There was still time to run!

The young laborers heard Zhang Yuan's shout, and quite a few lifted their heads in confusion, looking toward the source of the voice.

What they saw made their souls fly from their bodies.

"Weirdness!"

Startled cries rose and fell. Many villagers hastily threw down their tools and scattered in all directions, crying as they fled.

"What are you running for?"

Several Chen Family servants overseeing the work flew into a rage, raising their whips to lash at the fleeing villagers. "Do you want to die?!"

They were panicking inside as well.

But when they thought of the City God Statue they had invited, they did not completely lose their heads.

Just then, the City God Statue placed upon the roadside altar suddenly emitted thousands upon thousands of golden rays.

As the golden light shone upon them, everyone felt warm and comfortable.

"The City God Lord has revealed his divine power!"

Someone shouted, "Everyone, hurry over and kneel in worship!"

Seeing this, the utterly bewildered people immediately gathered around. They all knelt before the statue, praying with utmost devotion for the City God Lord's protection.

As the prayers grew louder and louder, the area covered by the City God Statue's light also expanded further and further.

A moment later, it collided head-on with the sweeping black fog of weirdness.

The latter instantly crumbled and scattered like snow beneath the blazing sun, producing hissing sounds as it dissipated.

Everyone who witnessed this scene burst into thunderous cheers.

Their devotion to the City God Lord increased yet again.

Yet the eerie black fog did not retreat because of this. Instead, it continued expanding and growing, beginning to encircle the area where the road-clearing team stood from different directions!

The people's cheers could not help weakening considerably.

The black fog began shifting constantly, taking the forms of wolves, beasts, tigers, and leopards, all baring their fangs and brandishing their claws with lifelike vividness.

They frantically battered the City God Statue's defenses, little by little compressing the circle protected by its light.

Hundreds of villagers instinctively crowded around the altar, huddling tightly together.

Their prayers trembled and quavered.

Overcome by terror, someone lost faith in the City God Statue.

He suddenly rushed out from the crowd and ran wildly toward the mountains' outskirts.

But after he had taken only several dozen steps and left the range of the statue's golden light, a tentacle formed of mist shot toward him like lightning, wrapping him up tightly.

"Ah!"

The next moment, the villager was mercilessly dragged into the dense fog.

A heart-rending scream suddenly rang out!

A li away, Zhang Yuan abruptly turned his head, his heart pounding so fiercely it seemed ready to break free from his chest.

As far as his eyes could see, there was nothing but churning, billowing black fog.

It covered the mountains and fields, endless and boundless!