amaotonovel Chapter 396 The Stronghold of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect
Chapter 396 The Stronghold of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect
"No!" With this desperate and shrill roar, the leading protector's face instantly turned ashen. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared ahead, his body trembling uncontrollably. That Soul-Devouring Banner was his natal magic weapon, forged with countless efforts! It was inextricably linked to his primordial spirit, and now it had been devoured by this person named Xu Nian.
As the Soul-Devouring Banner vanished, a piercing, excruciating pain suddenly struck, as if tearing his soul apart. *Pfft!* A mouthful of crimson blood gushed from his mouth, forming a jet that arced through the air in a horrifying arc before splashing onto the ground. Immediately afterward, the leading protector, as if all his strength had been drained, collapsed limply to the cold ground, unable to move an inch.
The other guardians, witnessing this scene, turned ashen-faced and broke out in a cold sweat. They exchanged terrified glances, then without a word, turned and fled for their lives, wishing they could escape this horrific place immediately. However, no matter how fast they were, how could they outrun Xu Nian?
"Trying to escape? Hmph! That's wishful thinking!" Xu Nian sneered, his figure flashing like a ghost in front of one of the guardians. Before the guardian could react, Xu Nian had already raised his palm and slammed it down on him without hesitation. The palm wind whistled past, bringing with it a sharp gust of wind, and slammed hard into the guardian's body.
Bang! A dull thud resounded, and the protector died instantly before he could even utter a scream. Then, Xu Nian's figure blurred, transforming into a bolt of lightning once more, swiftly pursuing another protector who was desperately fleeing. In the blink of an eye, he was upon him. He unleashed another simple palm strike, but it contained boundless power and killing intent.
Crack! Another crisp sound of bone breaking rang out, and the protector's body flew backward, crashing heavily dozens of feet away, dying instantly. Just like that, in the short span of a few breaths, the once majestic and invincible protectors of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect were now all lifeless corpses, lying haphazardly on the ground.
"The power of devouring Dao essence is indeed immense..." Xu Nian slowly withdrew his palm, feeling the surging power within his body, secretly marveling at it. Through this battle, he gained a deeper understanding of the mysterious power he possessed. At the same time, he knew that many more hardships and obstacles awaited him on his future path of cultivation. But at this moment, looking at the corpses of his enemies scattered on the ground, Xu Nian's eyes were filled with confidence and determination.
"These few pieces of trash dare to block the road?" Wu Qinghuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile. Her eyes swept contemptuously over the corpses lying haphazardly on the ground. Blood was still slowly dripping from the tip of the gleaming longsword in her hand, splashing dark red flowers on the ground.
"Let's go to Qingxuan Market." Xu Nian nodded expressionlessly and said softly. Just now, he had successfully extracted crucial information from the remnant soul of the leading protector: the location of the Myriad Demons Sect's secret stronghold in Qingxuan Market, and a detailed portrait of the mysterious third layer of Dao essence—the mask. Not only that, he also knew the exact route to the market.
After saying that, the person and the cat instantly transformed into two dazzling streaks of light, speeding away into the distance at lightning speed, disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye.
Before long, the two of them arrived at their destination—Qingxuan Market. It was indeed bustling with people, far more lively than they had imagined. The streets and alleys were filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, noisy and chaotic yet brimming with the vitality of daily life.
"Masks! Top-quality masks! Wear them and you'll be the most beautiful person in the whole place!" a stall owner shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to attract the attention of passersby.
"Ancient artifact! Only 998! Don't miss out, you can get it for yourself!" another stall owner shouted loudly, not to be outdone.
"A miracle cure! It can cure all diseases! Whether it's a difficult or complicated illness or a long-standing injury, it can do it all!" Another stall owner was enthusiastically promoting his goods.
Walking along the street, you can see all sorts of stalls lining both sides, with the most numerous being those selling masks. These masks come in a wide variety of styles; some are made of silk, soft and smooth; others are carved from jade, crystal clear; and still others are meticulously crafted from rare woods, their grain clearly visible. They range from ferocious and terrifying to alluring and charming to endearing and adorable, their diverse designs dazzling and captivating.
Xu Nian's gaze swept quickly across the dazzling array of masks like a scanner, but suddenly, as if he had discovered something extraordinary, he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
“These masks…” Xu Nian frowned deeply, his gaze fixed on the pile of masks before him. For some reason, seeing these masks stirred a strange feeling within him. After careful observation and perception, he finally confirmed that these masks faintly emanated a unique aura of the Demonic Sect.
"Something's not right," Xu Nian thought to himself. At the same time, the tabby cat that had been following him seemed to sense the unusual change in its surroundings. Its fur instantly stood on end, becoming as hard as steel needles, and it emitted low, threatening hissing growls: "Meow! (Danger!)"
Just then, Xu Nian suddenly realized something. A sharp glint flashed in his deep eyes, and he murmured, "Could it be... this is an illusion?" Before he finished speaking, he quickly turned around and began to look around. However, a shocking scene unfolded—the once bustling and lively market was now as if under a spell, suddenly becoming empty and silent. The vendors who had been loudly hawking their wares seemed to have vanished without a trace in an instant.
"What a brilliant illusion!" Despite being in such a perilous situation, Xu Nian felt no fear whatsoever; instead, he couldn't help but admire it inwardly. He truly hadn't expected that he would so easily step into the illusion meticulously crafted by the Demon Sect's protector without even realizing it. However, the more powerful the opponent and the more difficult the challenge, the more intensely Xu Nian's fighting spirit burned within him.
"Since that's the case, then let me see just how powerful this illusion really is!" Xu Nian said through gritted teeth, his eyes revealing an unwavering determination. He then took a deep breath and slowly extended his right hand. In an instant, a black light erupted from his palm, quickly coalescing into a massive black vortex.
As soon as the black vortex formed, its rotation speed accelerated at an alarming rate, while simultaneously emanating an extremely terrifying devouring force. The surrounding air seemed to be drawn in by this force, rushing towards the center of the vortex. Seeing the black vortex's power growing stronger, Xu Nian's eyes widened suddenly, and he roared with a deafening roar: "Break!"
The black vortex, like a colossal beast with its jaws wide open, expanded at an astonishing speed. Its bottomless darkness seemed capable of devouring everything, mercilessly engulfing even the surrounding dreamlike scenery, which vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
......
Xu Nian stared wide-eyed ahead, only to see the scene before her undergo another dramatic transformation. It was still the familiar Qingxuan Market, shops lining both sides of the street, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and haggling filling the air; pedestrians thronged the area, a constant flow of people. However, unlike before, this time Xu Nian clearly felt a sense of reality. The ethereal, dreamlike feeling had vanished, replaced by a tangible bustle and prosperity.
"That was close!" Xu Nian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a lingering fear creeping into his heart. If he hadn't used his keen perception to detect the anomaly in time, he would probably already be trapped in that bizarre and unpredictable illusion, unable to extricate himself. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a surge of relief.
The tabby cat beside it was equally shaken, its fur still slightly bristling with tension. It let out a soft "Meow!" as if exclaiming, "What a powerful illusion! It almost fooled me!"
After calming herself down a bit, Xu Nian turned to the tabby cat and said, "Let's go, let's hurry to the Wanmo Sect's stronghold." The tabby cat nodded and then nimbly jumped ahead, leading Xu Nian toward their destination.
The Baibaoge Pavilion stands in the heart of a bustling street, its architectural style unique, resplendent and magnificent. Looking up, the three large, flowing characters "Baibaoge" on the high-hanging plaque seem to come alive, shining brightly and radiating a faint golden glow, drawing the eye.
Just then, two figures slowly entered; it was Xu Nian and Wu Qinghuan. As soon as they stepped through the door, a lean waiter in a blue robe rushed forward like a ghost. The waiter's face was plastered with a fawning smile, and his attitude was extremely respectful. He said, "Please come in, esteemed guests! May I ask what kind of treasures you wish to purchase today? I will do my utmost to serve you."
However, Xu Nian remained unfazed by the waiter's enthusiastic inquiry and answered directly, "I want to see your protector." Upon hearing this, the waiter, who had been all smiles, froze as if under a spell, his smile instantly turning to ice.
However, it only took a moment for the waiter to come to his senses and hurriedly waved his hand in denial, saying, "Guardian? Sir, you must be joking! How could our little shop have any guardian?" As he spoke, his eyes began to dart around involuntarily. Although he still pretended to be calm on the surface, his slightly trembling hands had already betrayed his inner unease.
Xu Nian was unmoved by the waiter's explanation. She simply curled her lips into a chilling smile and then ruthlessly exposed him, saying, "Hmph, stop pretending! I know very well that your so-called Treasure Pavilion is actually just a secret outpost set up here by the Ten Thousand Demons Sect."
Upon hearing this, the waiter's face turned deathly pale, and he staggered backward uncontrollably. His eyes widened as he stared at Xu Nian in disbelief, stammering, "How...how did you find out about this?" His voice trembled with extreme fear.
The waiter was terrified by what the two men said.
As the saying goes, if you don't say something shocking, you will die.
These two are really scary when they talk.
They immediately revealed the true purpose of this place.
Although no energy fluctuations could be sensed from them.
These two people also look very young.
But his intuition told him that the two people in front of him were not simple.
They are definitely not to be trifled with.
At least, I can't afford to mess with them.
He even had a feeling.
If the two people in front of him are thinking the right thing, he could die at any moment.
Perhaps it's just a small thought from the other party that could kill you on the spot.
Such fear rendered him speechless.
"Does it matter?"
Wu Qinghuan snorted coldly.
The longsword in her hand emitted a clear, ringing sound.
The longsword whistled, its sword energy filling the entire shop.
The waiter's face turned ashen.
He knew that he was exposed.
"In that case..."
The waiter took a deep breath.
He took something out of his pocket and threw it out suddenly.
The expression on his face had become extremely ugly.
If these two weren't so mysterious, I wouldn't have been able to discern their strength at all.
Why did he go to such lengths?
How did things come to this?
"Boom!"
Inside the Treasure Pavilion, the scene suddenly changed.
The once magnificent shops have disappeared.
Instead, a desolate scene unfolded.
The sky was overcast, the earth was cracked, and not a blade of grass grew.
"What is this place?"
Wu Qinghuan frowned slightly.
"A precious artifact."
Xu Nian said calmly.
"A magical artifact of the imprisonment type."
"A treasure?"
Wu Qinghuan was somewhat surprised.
She never expected that this small treasure pavilion would actually contain a precious artifact.
"It seems that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect has really gone to great lengths for this third level of Dao essence."
Xu Nian sneered.
He looked around.
"interesting!"