Sixty-two
The horse-drawn carriage traveled day and night, and the further southwest they went, the more rugged the terrain became and the fewer people there were. The official road came to an end, and in its place was a narrow post road winding through the towering mountains. A damp scent, carrying humus and the fragrance of exotic flowers, began to fill the air—the unique aroma of southern Xinjiang, a mixture of miasma and vitality.
Xuan Yuan Tianyi leaned against the carriage floor. Despite the thick cushions, the long journey still left her feeling exhausted. Her pregnant body was already sensitive, and the closer they got to Mount Ailao, the clearer the oppressive demonic energy emanating from the direction of the seal became. It felt like an invisible shackle, heavy on her chest, making even breathing difficult. The baby in her womb also seemed extremely uncomfortable; the fetal movements became frequent and intense, and the occasional kicks even caused her to gasp slightly.
"Can you still hold on?" Leng Moyan's voice came through the car wall, lacking his usual teasing tone and carrying a hint of barely perceptible concern. As a water unicorn, he was extremely sensitive to changes in the aura of living beings.
"It's alright." Xuan Yuan Tianyi adjusted his inner energy, gently channeling a stream of spiritual power into the child's abdomen to soothe the restless infant. "How much further?"
“We’ve entered the Ailao Mountain region. At this rate, we should reach the outer area of the seal’s core in two more days,” Leng Moyan replied, his tone slightly somber. “However… the deeper we go, the heavier the demonic energy becomes, and the miasma is extraordinary. The carriage probably can’t go any further.”
Xuanyuan Tian lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked out. In the distance, he saw layered mountains shrouded in a gray mist. The mist wasn't water vapor, but rather a miasma containing faint black threads. Sunlight struggled to penetrate, casting dappled and eerie shadows on the ground. The forest was eerily silent; the occasional cries of birds and beasts carried a sense of restless unease.
"If there's no car, then walk." She lowered the carriage curtain, her tone indifferent.
Two days later, the carriage indeed could no longer proceed. Ahead lay a dense, primeval forest entangled with vines and jagged rocks, with no road whatsoever. Leng Moyan concealed the carriage in a secluded mountain hollow, setting up a simple illusion.
Xuanyuan Tianyi stepped down from the carriage. Despite wearing a large cloak, the outline of her pregnant belly was still visible as she moved. Her face was pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. The combined effects of the long journey and the erosion of demonic energy made her look so fragile that she seemed ready to break at any moment. Only her eyes remained clear, calm, and full of strength.
Leng Moyan looked at her, his brows furrowed: "Your condition... how about I go check it out first, and you provide support from the outside?"
“No need.” Xuanyuan Tian shook his head, his gaze turning to the depths of the dense forest, where the demonic energy was most concentrated. “The sealing matter cannot be delayed. I can sense that the situation inside is very bad.”
She took out a pill to clear her mind and ward off miasma, then applied a special medicinal oil to her temples and philtrum, which slightly invigorated her. "Let's go."
Leng Moyan said no more, walked up to her, and a faint blue halo emanated from his body. A peaceful and warm aura spread out, dispelling a small area of the miasma and demonic energy that tried to approach. "Stay close to me."
The two of them, one after the other, stepped into this primeval forest tainted by demonic energy.
The forest was dimly lit, the tall trees twisted and gnarled, their branches an unhealthy, dark green, the ground covered with a thick layer of musty, rotting leaves. A strange, cloying stench of decay permeated the air—the very scent of "Bewitching Grass" mixed with demonic energy. An eerie silence reigned, yet it felt as if countless eyes were lurking in the shadows.
They hadn't gone far when they heard a rustling sound ahead. Leng Moyan raised his hand to signal them to stop. Suddenly, several wolves sprang out of the bushes! These wolves were a size larger than ordinary wolves, with bloodshot eyes, saliva dripping from their fangs, and a faint black aura swirling around them. Clearly, they had been completely corrupted by demonic energy, losing their reason and driven only by a ferocious desire to attack.
They growled, staring intently at the two intruders, then pounced forward with a powerful lunge!
Leng Moyan snorted coldly, and with a flick of his sleeve, an invisible force struck out like a heavy hammer. The two demonized wolves at the forefront crashed into an impenetrable wall, howling in agony as their bones shattered, flying backward and falling silent upon landing.
However, more demonic creatures were drawn by the commotion. Twisted venomous snakes, frenzied mandrills, and even some strange insects whose names they couldn't identify surged toward the two from all directions. They were dominated by demonic energy, fearless of death, and knew only slaughter.
Xuan Yuan Tianyi did not make a move; she needed to conserve her strength to deal with the seal. She simply stood quietly behind Leng Moyan, and occasionally, when a fish slipped through the net and approached, she would flick her fingertips, and a wisp of spiritual energy would accurately strike its vital point, killing it instantly.
Leng Moyan strolled along as if in a leisurely garden, his presence leaving flashes of blue light as the demonic creatures collapsed to the ground. He did not kill them, but merely repelled or temporarily subdued them, for these were originally mountain creatures harmed by demonic energy.
The deeper they went, the more numerous and powerful the demonic creatures became. Some were even enormous, thick-skinned demonic bears, resembling small mountains, and demonic mirages that could spew poisonous mist. Leng Moyan had to expend some effort, using the power of his Water Qilin, to clear them away.
Xuanyuan Tianyi followed behind him, her steps still steady, but her breathing was noticeably more rapid, and more sweat beaded on her forehead. She kept one hand gently protecting her abdomen, using her own spiritual power to create a thin barrier, isolating the pervasive demonic energy from eroding the fetus. This was extremely taxing on her.
"Take a break." Leng Moyan said, turning around and seeing her pale face after clearing out a wave of attacking demonic bats.
The two found a relatively clean clearing with their backs against a giant rock. Xuanyuan Tianyi leaned against the rock, slightly out of breath, and took a small sip of water from his water pouch. The baby in his womb seemed tired as well, its movements becoming much quieter.
“At this speed, we should be able to reach the edge of the core area before dark.” Leng Moyan sensed the distance. “But the concentration of demonic energy there will be several times, or even dozens of times, higher than here. You…” He looked at Xuan Yuantianyi’s obviously unwell face and didn’t finish his sentence.
Xuanyuan Tianyi closed her eyes, regulated her breathing for a moment, and slowly said, "I can hold on." She opened her eyes and looked at the gray sky, "I just wonder... how is Zhan Zhao doing?" The longer she was away from Bianjing, the clearer the inexplicable concern and vague unease in her heart became. She subconsciously touched her chest, where she kept a small jade pendant given to her by Zhan Zhao, engraved with the character "Zhao."
Leng Moyan paused for a moment, then said, "Good people are always blessed. Zhan Zhao has a very strong fate."
Xuanyuan Tianyi didn't say anything more, but just gripped the jade pendant even tighter.
After resting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two rose again and continued their journey towards the core area shrouded in dense demonic energy. The path beneath their feet became increasingly difficult, and the corrosive power of the demonic energy intensified, as if each step was treading on a viscous swamp. Xuan Yuan Tianyi's body trembled slightly, yet he did not stop for a moment.
Meanwhile, in the Guanyin Pavilion, far to the northwest of Bianjing.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, leading the elite troops of Kaifeng Prefecture, had quietly surrounded the abandoned manor. The manor was silent, the dilapidated doors and windows creaking in the autumn wind, exuding an indescribable eeriness.
"Cat, something feels off." Bai Yutang waved his folding fan, his peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed. "It's too quiet."
Zhan Zhao gripped the hilt of the Giant Sword, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, scanning every corner of the manor. He, too, sensed that unusual stillness, and a faint, sinister aura, originating from the same source as the "Bewitching Grass." Gongsun Ce's fears had likely come true; this was very likely a trap.
But now that things have come to this, we must not back down.
"Be careful and on guard. Form groups of three and advance in shifts." Zhan Zhao ordered in a deep voice, "Brother Bai, you lead a team to flank from the left, and I will cut in from the middle. Once the target is spotted, signal with a whistle."
"Alright!" Bai Yutang put away his folding fan, his carefree expression disappearing, replaced by the alertness and sharpness characteristic of the Golden-haired Rat.
The two groups of people moved like sharp blades, silently cutting into the ruins of Guanyin Pavilion. Zhan Zhao, holding the giant sword, walked at the front of the group, his mind highly focused, sensing every slight movement around him.
The wind rustled through the withered grass. Sunlight streamed through the broken roof, casting beams of light that flickered in and out, in which dust motes danced.
Everything was eerily calm.
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