Chapter 419 Deep into the Great Wilderness
In the seventh year of Taiwu, the rolling darkness was like the surging waves of early summer.
Since the beginning of time, the first resistance and counterattack by the human race against the remnant race has officially begun. The power of the sacred artifacts began to roar across the heavens and the thunderous sound of heavenly might spread throughout the world.
Meanwhile, in the southwest of Liangzhou, on the west side of the Rixi Forest.
Under the pitch-black night, the clang of an iron spear suddenly rang out. The Imperial Demon General Asakura, filled with murderous intent, swung his spear fiercely, charging towards a remnant clan army along both banks of the river.
Suddenly, this murderous aura caused the remnants of the opposing clan to rise up abruptly, and three of them moved with incredible speed, flying through the air to meet them.
The Heavenly Demon Realm is very powerful, but it is difficult to end the battle quickly when facing a three-on-one attack from the Remnant Clan. However, the good thing is that this is not a one-on-one battle.
The next instant, a pitch-black figure crashed down. Demon King Gu Chuan flew over, cleaved the skull of one of the remnants of the race with a wave of his hand, and then smashed another one to the ground with a powerful punch.
In an instant, the hundred or so survivors were on high alert and charged forward with a series of shrill cries.
At the same time, more than fifty demon figures appeared on the cliff and instantly rushed forward.
The same spear trembled, and under the cover of night, a slender figure wielding a silver spear charged out, piercing the chest of a remnant soldier before her. Then, the spear shaft roared like a dragon and swept away.
On the other side, a demon king rose into the air, and in the instant of his demonic transformation, he flipped his palm with the weight of Mount Tai, shattering the chest of a soldier from the remnant race.
The twelve imperial demon generals, twenty-three demon kings, leaders of the five tribes, along with princes and princesses, annihilated more than a hundred remaining tribes in an instant, and the surging blood stained the turbulent river red.
"Your Highness, it's resolved."
"It seems that the strongest fighting force of the remnant clan has been transferred to the three southern states. We must seize this opportunity and set off immediately!"
"yes!"
At the command of the Demon Emperor Ziye Han, the demon kings and generals did not stop for a moment and immediately continued to travel southeast along the Nu River.
Since the resurrection of the remnants, the demon race has hidden in the most remote Sunrise Forest in the entire Qingyun. During this time, they were repeatedly hunted down by the soldiers of the remnants, but they did not take action, for fear of harming their people.
But in reality, they had been holding their breath, wanting to rescue those of their people who hadn't had a chance to evacuate with them.
Never abandoning any member of their race is a principle that their demon race has always believed in, and it is also the reason why their demon race has been able to exist for ten thousand years. Therefore, this is something they must do.
Three days ago, the Feathered Clan who went to investigate sent back news that some of their clansmen had been taken to Qingzhou to build fortifications for the remnants of the tribe, which gave them the urge to go and rescue them.
But the remnant clan is truly incredibly powerful. If it were only them, this matter would certainly not succeed, and they might even expose the location of their clansmen who have already hidden themselves.
Therefore, they had no choice but to agree to the human race's conditions and unite with them in exchange for the opportunity to hold back the strongest fighting force of the remnant race.
Under the cover of darkness, the demon race marched covertly, constantly moving through the night.
Liangzhou and Qingzhou have both been captured by the remnant tribes, and remnant tribes are everywhere, hunting down those who escaped, replenishing their blood supplies, and capturing slaves.
They weren't trying to kill the remnants of the race, but to save their people. So, apart from those who were constantly searching for them, they tried to avoid places where the remnant army might appear.
Only when they absolutely cannot avoid each other will a major battle erupt between them.
During this process, the woman in red and silver armor remained silent and quiet, but her spear thrusts were swift and decisive, frequently drawing sidelong glances and gasps of amazement.
Like the commoners of the demon race, apart from Asakura, who was the princess's senior brother, and Ye Han, who was a prince, most people thought that their princess was a gentle and quiet woman who loved medicine and hated killing.
But these days and nights after the resurrection of the remnants have taught them that disgust does not mean impossibility. Their princess can be a skilled and compassionate healer, or a general with outstanding military achievements.
"Your Highness Fengyang is truly a treasure of our clan, making us men feel ashamed."
Amidst the howling night wind, several demon clan prodigies whispered among themselves as they stealthily moved through the darkness. After speaking, they looked at the young clan leaders ahead and said, "If it weren't for the resurgence of the remnants of the race, I wonder who would have the extraordinary fortune to become our clan's consort."
“Originally, Lin Dou had the best chance, but unfortunately the Lin Clan Chief rebelled because of the remnant clan’s possession. Although His Majesty did not allow the investigation because he had no choice, Lin Dou probably has no chance. As for Ya Shan, Mao Lie, Yu Ling and Zhao Yun, they have an equal chance.”
The murmurs drifted on the wind in all directions, and the four clan leaders remained silent as they marched.
In fact, since those years in the snowy region, some of them have been constantly expressing their love for their princess, with Yu Ling being the most devoted.
But even after migrating to Yunzhou and the resurrection of the remnants of the clan, they received no response. They couldn't figure out what the princess they longed for was thinking. After all, in terms of status, family background, appearance, and ability, they were already the most outstanding, and no one could surpass them.
Ye Han also heard the whispers and saw the expressions on the faces of the young clan leaders.
He was the only one who knew that his sister had someone in her heart. He couldn't help but recall how she risked her life to save the human race's guardian deity, and how she secretly carved the memorial tablet after arriving at the Sunrise Forest.
He knew that his sister might really never marry, and no matter how hard others tried, it would be to no avail.
However, after the resurrection of the remnants, everyone faces the threat of death. Romantic ties and in-law relationships are no longer the focus, nor are they things to think about at this moment.
Just then, the sound of rushing water came from afar, growing ever closer as they marched.
Then, a mighty, rushing river appeared before them.
It doesn't resemble a river as much as a surging, boiling land that has lost its riverbed. The ochre-yellow water pours downstream at an incredible speed, as if millions of wild horses with yellow manes are jostling and galloping wildly in the narrow river channel, stirring up towering turbid waves.
The steep cliffs on both sides of the river seemed to have been cleaved by a giant axe, barely making way for the raging torrent. The river rushed and thrashed through this passage, crashing violently against the rocks and mountain walls, shattering into countless yellowish-white sprays, which then converged without stopping, continuing its violent journey.
"Your Highness, we have arrived at the Nu River. Further west from here is Qingzhou, separated by that vast wilderness in the distance."
On the east bank of the Nu River, a group of more than fifty demons arrived at the west bank. As they felt the heavy moisture hitting their faces, they looked out and saw the boundless sea of forest not far away on the east bank.
After observing for a long time, Ye Han's eyes narrowed: "This place looks extremely secluded."
The Feather Clan Chief nodded: "The Great Wilderness Forest spans two states and is often shrouded in mist, making it a good place to hide one's whereabouts. It is a passageway."
"How far is it from here on out?"
"From southeast to northwest, it's about two thousand li."
Having confirmed the direction and ascertained the distance, and feeling a sense of urgency that time was of the essence, Ye Han glanced at the rumbling sounds coming from the three southern states, and then ordered them to proceed.
In an instant, the group of over fifty demons crossed the riverbank and entered the Great Wilderness Forest.
The forest was shrouded in deep fog, obscuring the sky and the sun. Combined with the pitch-black night outside, the entire forest was shrouded in darkness. However, this situation was actually a good thing for the demon race, since their five senses were highly developed and their sixth sense, which they were born with, was even more suited to this kind of environment.
However, after traveling only thirty miles, they couldn't help but stop.
It wasn't because they were tired, nor because they had encountered new enemies, but because five corpses had appeared in front of them.
The bodies of five survivors.
They were lying sprawled on the ground, their bodies covered in sword wounds, a sight that made the demons frown slightly.
At this moment, Feng Yang handed the gun to Ye Han beside him and bent down to examine the five corpses: "They have been dead for about ten days."
"Ten days?"
"That's right, it might be a little earlier, but the error won't exceed two days."
Upon hearing this, Asakura frowned: "Our clan and the human race have been evacuated to the south for a month. The remaining people are either used as food or enslaved. There shouldn't be any corpses here that are only ten days old."
"Perhaps some of the enslaved people escaped and, while being hunted down, turned around and killed these remnants of the tribe?" Yu Ling observed for a moment before looking at them.
"no."
Upon hearing this, Feng Yang shook his head slightly: "Judging from their deaths, they must have all died at the hands of one person, and that person must have dealt with them with ease. The remnant clan would certainly not treat such a threatening person as a slave, but would only eat them immediately."
Upon hearing this, everyone around frowned.
A person capable of killing five people with ease is not easily enslaved.
Both humans and demons have retreated to the south, so why are there still such people here?
While they were pondering, the Demon Emperor Ziye Han suddenly spoke up: "We don't need to worry about this for now. The human race may not be able to buy us enough time. It's more important to get on our way as quickly as possible."
Feng Yang nodded and stood up, taking his spear from his brother. Then the demon group stepped over the corpses and continued on their way.
To their surprise, they discovered the remains of the remnants of the tribe again after traveling nearly thirty miles.
This time, there were eight bodies, all killed by the same person, and all covered in neat sword wounds.
"They may have died even earlier than the five we encountered before."
After examining the eight corpses, Feng Yang spoke softly.
Demon King Gu Chuan also became interested in this, and after staring at it for a long time, he couldn't help but say, "Strange, could it be that after killing the five people in front, that person didn't leave, but stayed in the Great Wilderness Forest?"
"That's strange, what's he after?" Asakura couldn't help but respond.
"Perhaps someone is waiting, or perhaps they have to stay here."
The corpses in the Great Wilderness Forest cast a cloud of doubt over everyone's minds, but because of their concern for their people, they did not linger and continued their journey at a rapid pace.
However, having discovered two bodies, they had many speculations in their minds, wondering if they might find others.
Sure enough, they began to find bodies along the way, first fifty miles away, then two hundred miles away, in varying numbers.
Their expressions gradually turned serious when they had traveled more than 300 li and discovered the corpses from four or five days earlier.
Because they suddenly realized that the murderer was very likely still in the wilderness.
If that's the case, it means this person stayed here for almost half a month, constantly attracting the remnants of the clan before making a move.
What's even stranger is that the bodies discovered later were no longer killed by swords, but gradually turned into being burned to death by lightning and fire magic.
Buzz!
In the western part of the Great Wilderness Forest, in a dark and damp valley, countless mysterious lights constantly rose and fell.
Within the thick fog, the laws of heaven and earth were constantly evolving between Ji You's clasped hands, like wind, rain, and fog.
Qingyun's cultivation has many systems and methods, among which the easiest is the Four Symbols of Heaven and Earth.
Wind, clouds, thunder, lightning, fire, water, earth, and wind—because they have form and appearance, they can be distinguished by the naked eye and are regarded as the most easily observable laws of nature.
Ji You's goal was to advance his cultivation level as quickly as possible, and this was naturally his guiding principle.
At that moment, endless power of laws suddenly gathered in his hands and then suddenly dispersed, sometimes starting to operate and sometimes rapidly collapsing.
When it truly begins to function, it will transform into a mystical light that surrounds its body.
The wind blew and rain fell, and thunder rumbled faintly, constantly howling within a ten-zhang radius around him.
At the same time, Ji You's spiritual senses were soaring through the night sky, constantly whistling and rushing forward.
At that moment, the torrential rain seemed to carry a thousand tons of weight, crashing down on him and instantly dragging him down. The heavy force pressed down on his body, making it creak.
As he repeatedly circled his hands, gathering wind and rain to collide fiercely with it, a burst of firelight suddenly pressed down, like a fire dragon viciously tearing at him, followed by lightning strikes, and then a strong wind pulling him.
This is the breakthrough in enlightenment cultivation. Unlike the physical body's struggle against the limits of life, enlightenment cultivation requires confronting the laws, understanding the laws, and ultimately merging with the laws.
boom!!!!!
Under the raging darkness, Ji You suddenly waved his hand, breaking through the torrential rain. Then, he condensed his body into water vapor and rushed into the raging sea of fire.
In an instant, the thunder and fire evolved from the Heavenly Dao began to intertwine continuously, as if the heavens themselves were ignited, pressing down fiercely as if to refine him entirely.
The protective moisture that Ji You had gathered around her body was instantly burned away, and a scorching pain immediately hit her.
At this moment, Ji You suddenly flipped his palm, instantly suppressing the raging thunder and fire, attempting to bring them all into his palm.
Heaven has a will, and upon seeing this scene, the sea of fire that was coming towards them suddenly surged with towering waves of fire, mixed with lightning.
Suddenly, Ji You's soul let out a roar, and the golden light covering his body trembled violently.
This roar, like a thunderclap, instantly shattered the raging sea of fire.
In the vast, dark forest, Ji You slowly opened his eyes. His eyes seemed to be filled with scalding golden water, and his energy burst forth as he raised his arm.
The next instant, a shrill whistle came crashing down from the sky above the Great Wilderness Forest.
Ji You suddenly raised his hand, and without hesitation, he unleashed the [Great Imprisoning Immortal Finger], which simultaneously emitted blinding lightning and raging flames within its powerful light.
With a deafening roar, the three burned survivors crashed to the ground, their bodies reeking of burning.
At that moment, Ji You suddenly gripped his longsword, rose up, and soared into the sky.
The heavy sword energy, like a bright moon, crashed down, and the other four people who followed the three remnant soldiers were instantly knocked to the ground by the heavy sword energy.
Then, a massive seal, as tall as a mountain, was smashed down with a flick of his fingers, stirring up a sky full of surging waves.
After the billowing dust subsided, Ji You suddenly descended and then headed further west.
Since entering the Great Wilderness Forest, he has been using a magic array made of tree branches to shield his aura, but every time he tries to comprehend the Dao, he is attacked by the remnants of the Dao.
This proves that the remnant race is indeed closer to the Dao of Heaven than the human race. So close that even ordinary members of the remnant race can perceive all things in the world from the changes in the Dao of Heaven.
Therefore, this position can no longer be used once it is exposed.
After all, he had stayed in the Great Wilderness Forest to improve his cultivation level. If he attracted too many remnants of the ancient race, he would have no time to comprehend the Dao.
Ji You continued to traverse through the misty forest, eventually landing on a black rock at the edge of a canyon. His fading golden eyes surged once more, and his divine sense soared into the sky.
"Your Highness, another body has been found in the forest, and it was only recently deceased."
"Just like before, there were sword kills and lightning strikes through the heart. Similar to the previous ones, the shape of the wounds also indicates that they all died at the hands of one person."
As the demon race marched swiftly, the group of over fifty people quickly traversed a thousand miles and arrived at the western part of the Great Wilderness Forest.
Meanwhile, the guards who had followed them found another body in the forest. After examining it, they hurriedly returned to report.
The fact that the person had only recently died meant that the killer was likely nearby, which is why the guards who came to report were all very wary.
But the people who heard the report did not react, nor did they turn around or ask any more detailed questions. Instead, they kept staring at the misty canyon ahead.
There was no need to make a judgment, because they had already sensed the other's presence.
After crossing the mountains and forests and passing through layers of gray-white fog, they gradually stopped. Their vertical pupils gleamed as they saw a person sitting cross-legged on a black rock at the edge of a cliff.
"They are human."
"He seems to be practicing meditation?"
"They're actually cultivating here?"
Hearing the discussions of the crowd, the Demon King Gu Chuan couldn't help but raise his head slightly and look at the rolling darkness: "Human cultivation is achieved by sensing the Heavenly Dao, but after the remnant race was revived, the opportunity to grasp the Heavenly Dao seems to have been extinguished. If I'm not mistaken, he should be using this darkness to comprehend the Dao."
Yu Ling, Ya Shan, and the others were astonished upon hearing this: "He actually dares to kill people right under the noses of the remnant clan, all for the sake of cultivation?"
"His heart is as firm as iron and his mind is as immovable as a mountain. This is truly extraordinary. Moreover, his cultivation level is not low. Even among humans, he should be considered a prodigy."
"It's not just a prodigy; it's probably a level that only a direct disciple of an immortal sect could achieve. Strangely, I've traveled to the human realm many times and gathered a lot of information, yet I still can't recognize who he is."
Ye Han uttered a soft sound, his brows gradually furrowing. However, before he could think further, he suddenly gripped the long sword in his hand, his eyes instantly becoming alert.
Because on the opposite bank of the distant canyon, Ji You was slowly opening her bright golden eyes.
He first glanced at Ye Han, then at the powerful demon kings, and finally fixed his gaze on Feng Yang before closing his eyes again.
He had sensed someone approaching quite some time ago, but because of the familiar aura, he didn't become alert.
I know him; I've even seen his tail through his clothes, but this isn't the right time to reveal my identity.
His divine senses continued to roam through the darkness, and he began to meditate and contemplate the Dao once more.
Seeing this, Ye Han loosened his grip on the long sword slightly: "He doesn't seem hostile. Let's not cause any trouble. Let's continue heading northwest."
"yes!"
The demon group bypassed the canyon and stealthily headed west again.
As he was leaving, Feng Yang couldn't help but turn his head, his eyelashes trembling slightly as he took another look at the person.
Ye Han, the team leader, noticed that his younger sister hadn't kept up and couldn't help but turn back: "What's wrong, Feng Yang?"
"It's alright, our people are the priority. Let's hurry and get going."
Feng Yang responded to Ye Han, then slowly withdrew his gaze.
In truth, she didn't know why she had taken that extra look, but because she was thinking of her clansmen, she didn't think much of it and immediately followed her brother, taking off and rushing northwest.
After a long trek through the desolate forest, the demon race finally crossed the Great Wilderness Forest.
They stood atop a high hill, no longer shrouded in thick fog, with a wide-open view before them.
On the wide plain ahead, they saw a city wall under construction, and they also saw their tribesmen and humans, wearing handcuffs and shackles, carrying bluestones and walking towards the wall.
(End of this chapter)
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