Chapter 353: Ancient Demon Array, Descending into the Dark Path

"A Qing, you're saying the talisman you gave to Xinghe was activated?" Wei Shanhai was stunned.

According to the schedule, Wei Xinghe should have only just arrived in Zhou Fu. To activate the talisman so soon meant he’d already clashed with someone upon entering the city?

"Master, there's no need to worry too much. The one who activated it was Lian Xi Fu—perhaps he was merely traveling, not yet engaged in combat," Lu Qing said, trying to calm him.

But inside, his heart tightened.

The talisman Lu Qing had given Wei Xinghe was one he had personally crafted. It contained a trace of his own spiritual essence. However, due to the vast distance, that essence would only react if the talisman was destroyed.

Which meant Wei Xinghe hadn’t just activated Lian Xi Fu—he’d been forced to use it in battle, and someone had shattered it.

Only a cultivator of exceptional strength could break through Lian Xi Fu’s seal. This wasn’t just any Xian Tian Jing cultivator.

Could it be... Wei Xinghe had already come face to face with that mysterious faction?

As Lu Qing pondered, his spiritual sense flared once more—this time, the connection to the Jian Fu talisman within Wei Xinghe’s possession had been disturbed.

This time, Lu Qing was truly alarmed.

The Jian Fu was the most unique of the three talismans he had given. It had been forged from the leftover materials used in crafting Hui Ling Bei. Lu Qing had refined its jade core himself, making its composition purer than the others and capable of holding far greater spiritual power.

Among the three, Jian Fu was the strongest. Even a Xian Tian Jing master, caught unprepared, would struggle to withstand its full force.

And now, Wei Xinghe had activated it.

That meant he was facing an enemy so fearsome, he’d been forced to unleash two talismans in rapid succession.

"Master," Lu Qing turned toward Zhou Fu, his voice firm, "something is seriously wrong. I must go there at once."

"Should I come with you?" Old Doctor asked, seeing the urgency in Lu Qing’s expression. He could sense a heavy shadow creeping from Zhou Fu’s direction.

"No need," Lu Qing replied. "You must remain here to protect the village. I’ll take Xiao Li. And Xiao Yan has just broken through—she’ll need your care."

With that, Lu Qing vanished in a flash. Another blink, and he was gone.

"Lu Xiao Langjun..." Wei Shanhai stared after him, stunned. He tried to call out, but Lu Qing had already disappeared into the distance.

"Don’t worry, Wei Old Man," Old Doctor said, though his voice wavered. "With A Qing there, the Wei Family Head should be safe."

Wei Shanhai said nothing. But his heart sank. He knew Lu Qing wouldn’t have left so urgently unless he’d sensed something dire.

All he could do now was wait.

After leaving Jiuli Village, Lu Qing wrapped Xiao Li in his arms. Golden light flared around him, suppressing most of the Earth Vein Yuan Ci Li, lightening his body to near-weightlessness.

Then, a radiant orb ignited within his Brow Qi Cavity. A gust of pure wind materialized from nowhere, swirling around him.

With a subtle push from his feet, he soared upward, riding the wind like a glowing streak of light—faster than thought—racing toward Zhou Fu.

"Little Master," Xiao Yan’s voice echoed in his mind, "did you sense something?"

Lu Qing’s earlier expression had been grave—something Xiao Yan had never seen before.

"Master," he asked, "do you know anything about Demon Cultivators?"

"Demons?" Xiao Yan paused, surprised. "They’re treacherous, cunning, and utterly ruthless. Even in the Ancient Cultivation Era, they were a nightmare. No matter their technique, they’re always cruel and deceitful. Not even the Plague Elder compares."

"Then why are you asking?"

"Two days ago, I gave Wei Xinghe three talismans—each infused with a sliver of my soul. Just now, I felt one shatter. Before it vanished, I sensed... a trace of Demon Cultivator’s aura."

"Demons?" Xiao Yan’s voice trembled. "You’re certain?"

It wasn’t just the question—it was the fact that Lu Qing could sense such a distant spiritual disturbance. Such a feat was impossible for a Lianqi Realm cultivator.

Yet Lu Qing had done it.

The depth of his spiritual power was far greater than even Xiao Yan had suspected.

"Absolutely," Lu Qing said. "I’ve met one before—back in Sheng Cheng. The one who wielded the Tenmoxie Ti Da Fa."

"Tenmoxie Ti Da Fa?" Xiao Yan gasped. "That’s not just any demonic technique. Only the most authentic Demon Cultivators from the Ancient Era could master it. You’re telling me someone still alive from that time... has survived the Ten Heavenly Declines?"

"I don’t know," Lu Qing replied. "But the aura I sensed—it was identical to that of the Demon I met in Sheng Cheng. Even if they’re not the same person, they’re linked in some way."

He recalled the final moment before the talisman’s essence faded—the scene it had shown: Wei Xinghe trapped in some place, surrounded by swirling Demon Qi, and faint, distant screams echoing through the air.

But his spiritual power wasn’t strong enough. The fragment of his soul was too weak, and the distance too great. The image had been too blurred.

Now, only one thing mattered—reach Zhou Fu and find out what had happened.

Would Wei Xinghe survive long enough?

With that thought, Lu Qing pushed harder. The wind around him thickened, swirling like a cyclone. His speed surged.

From above, the land below would have seen a streak of emerald-yellow light racing across the earth, a blur of motion, hurtling toward Zhou Fu.

Zhou Fu Cheng was a thousand li from Jiuli Village. Back when Lu Qing was still Hou Tian Jing, he’d once ridden through the night, slaying the old woman of Zheng Jia—a Xian Tian Jing master.

Now, his cultivation was more than ten times stronger. His speed, beyond compare.

Though he left in the afternoon, by the time dusk fell, Zhou Fu’s walls were already in sight.

But then...

Lu Qing froze.

Something was wrong.

The city—once a massive, beast-like structure sprawled across the land—was now wrapped in a shroud of black light. The darkness pulsed with malevolent energy, eerie and unnatural.

"This is Mo Dao Zhen Fa," Lu Qing murmured. "Who has the power to set up such a large-scale array?"

Xiao Yan’s form materialized beside him, its voice laced with alarm. "Not just an array... there’s a treasure artifact at its core."

Lu Qing stared at the black veil. Suddenly, words appeared in his vision, as if inscribed in the air:

【Shi Fang Rong Xue Lian Hun Zhen: An ancient Demon Array, legacy of Hei Tian Mo Zun from the Tianyuan Great World. Incredibly evil and deadly.】

【Soul-Rendering Through Blood Fusion. A mysterious Demon Cultivator seeks to consume the entire city’s populace, using their blood as fuel to forge a Demon Body.】

【This is only a simplified version, centered around a demonic treasure artifact. Its power is less than one ten-millionth of the original.】

"Turn the entire population into blood fuel... to forge a Demon Body?" Lu Qing’s face turned ashen. The name Hei Tian Mo Zun faded into irrelevance.

That explained the screams he’d sensed in his spirit—Wei Xinghe’s surroundings filled with anguish. And the unease, the warning—now it made sense.

A Demon Cultivator had set a vast array to consume every soul in Zhou Fu Cheng.

The city held tens of thousands.

"Little Master," Xiao Yan cried, "you’re not serious. How could anyone dare do such a thing?"

"Demons are merciless," Lu Qing said coldly. "They see life as nothing. What wouldn’t they dare?"

"It’s different," Xiao Yan insisted. "Even demons have limits. To consume an entire city—such an act would summon unfathomable sin. Even Yuan Shen Jing demons would hesitate. The Heavenly Dao would punish them. No one could survive the backlash."

"Then explain this," Lu Qing pointed ahead. "What do you make of it?"

Xiao Yan fell silent. After a long pause, it said, "Perhaps the array only traps the city. It doesn’t necessarily mean they intend to consume everyone."

"Either way," Lu Qing said, "we’ll know soon enough."

He didn’t rush into the city. The situation was unclear. Entering blindly could be fatal.

"Xiao Li, lend me your power," he instructed, sitting cross-legged, entering deep meditation.

At this distance, he should be able to sense the trace of his soul he’d left in the talisman.

Sure enough, he felt it—a faint, familiar resonance, flickering within the city.

But the array blocked direct connection. He’d need to break through.

Lu Qing focused, channeling his spiritual energy, reaching out to that distant thread.

Meanwhile, deep within a narrow alley of Zhou Fu Cheng, Wei Shanhai clutched a shattered jade Jian Fu, staring at the figure before him—his son, transformed.

The man before him radiated black qi, a jagged black mark burned into his brow. His face was twisted with mockery.

"Father," the figure said, smiling, "you’re wasting your strength. Resistance is pointless. Come with me. Serve the Demon Lord. Together, we’ll build an empire."

Wei Xinghe stared at the face of his son—now a monster.

"Zihao... tell me, who did this to you?" he whispered, his heart breaking.

"Is it so bad, Father?" Wei Zihao raised his arm, the skin etched with strange, pulsing runes. "I think I’m better now. You saw—my power far surpasses yours. Even that sword qi talisman you summoned couldn’t harm me."

Wei Xinghe trembled. "Zihao... you’re still my son. You haven’t truly fallen. You’re not you anymore. Do you even realize what you’ve become?"

"Father, you’re joking," Wei Zihao laughed. "This power is mine. If you submit to the Demon Lord, you could have it too. At your level, it wouldn’t be hard."

"Then come with me. The Demon Lord wishes to meet you. He was most interested in that sword qi talisman."

He reached out—softly, casually.

But Wei Xinghe recoiled.

Without thinking, he leapt back.

"Useless," Wei Zihao smirked. "You can’t escape."

Black qi surged from his hand, twisting into two serpents that shot forward like lightning—wrapping around Wei Xinghe’s retreat.

The snakes moved too fast. In an instant, they caught up.

Wei Xinghe had seen their power. He refused to let them touch him.

But he was no match for their speed.

With no choice, he activated his final talisman.

A burst of green light flared from his body. His speed doubled, then tripled.

He broke free instantly, vanishing in a blur—leaving Wei Zihao’s smug smile shattered.

"Impossible!" Wei Zihao snarled. "You still had a trump card?"

But then he grinned again.

"Still, Father. You can’t escape. The array holds this city. No one gets out."

He vanished, reappearing as a shadow, streaking after the fleeing Wei Xinghe.

Wei Xinghe didn’t stop. He ran, heart pounding.

Lu Qing had told him—Qing Ling Fu’s effect lasted only a quarter hour. He had to escape before it expired.

Otherwise, not only would he die here, but the entire city would become a hell.

He remembered the monstrous figure he’d seen—only one man could save them now.

Lu Qing.

If he could just make it out...

And then—just as he pushed himself to the limit—a faint ripple passed through his soul.

"Father, can you hear me?"

Wei Xinghe froze.

His eyes widened. A surge of hope washed over him.

"Lu Xiao Langjun?!" he whispered, voice breaking.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end