Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery

Can we go now?

One by one, Loose Cultivators emerged from the temporary huts, their faces a mix of joy and bewilderment laced with unease.

Suddenly, the entire camp burst into commotion.

Some gathered their belongings, called to their acquaintances, and in groups of three to five, they eagerly began the journey home.

Chen Li was also unwilling to linger in such dangerous territory. After discussing with Zhang Yan, Zhao Chang Er, and others, he decided to join the returning crowd. The more people, the safer, a simple truth.

The orderly advance they had maintained on the way there turned into a chaotic scramble on the way back, with people scattered all over the hills and fields.

Although cultivators in the later stages of Qi Cultivation could fly with instrument control, it was highly draining on spiritual power and couldn’t be sustained for long, suitable only for short distances. Moreover, the wilderness was far from safe; maintaining abundant spiritual power at all times was essential.

Thus, even cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation had no choice but to walk earnestly.

Of course, for Chen Li, none of this posed a problem.

His near max-level Wind Control Skill consumed minimal spiritual power and lasted long. For a journey of several hundred miles, which would take just a few spells, he could set out in the early morning and be home by noon.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t alone.

He couldn’t just leave Zhou Hong behind to make her way slowly, could he? That was something he was incapable of doing.

In the forest scorched by the fire, the ground was charred, the landscape an expanse of black. Not to mention demon beasts, even the wildlife was scarce. Initially, the atmosphere among the travelers was somewhat tense, but it soon relaxed as they made their way, chatting and laughing all along.

Yet Chen Li couldn’t shake a sense of unease. He made do with some dry food for lunch on the way, not even stopping to rest.

Anything warranting the personal attention of a Golden Core Ancestor was undoubtedly a serious matter. His only wish was to get as far away from here, as quickly as possible.

It wasn’t until the evening, after an uneventful journey, that his tightly wound nerves finally began to relax slightly.

In late autumn, the streams were frozen solid.

The arrival of night brought an intensifying chill.

The land, ravaged by a great fire, was eerily quiet. A layer of mist covered the ground, but the groups of chattering travelers prevented it from feeling desolate.

As night deepened, the fog grew even thicker.

"This fog is too heavy today. Had I known, we should have stayed the night at the abandoned temporary camp we passed earlier," Zhao Chang Er worriedly said.

"In the wilderness, no rest is peaceful," Zhang Yan disagreed. "I’d rather keep moving!"

"With so many people, what’s there to fear?" Zhao Chang Er retorted.

"Haven’t you noticed how silent it’s been along the way?" Chen interjected suddenly. "By all accounts, there should be people all around us."

The mood abruptly quieted.

The group hastily halted.

Everyone exchanged glances, seeing unease reflected in each other’s faces.

"Apart from us, indeed, I haven’t heard anyone else talking!" an elder cultivator following Chen Li’s group said with a trembling voice: "This fog is too thick; we can’t keep going like this, we might be heading in the wrong direction!"

Chen Li’s expression turned grave, not sure if it was just a feeling, but he sensed a pair of cold eyes seemingly fixed on him.

He felt the stack of Evil-Breaking Talismans at his chest and noticed they were slightly warm.

He took one out and cast it swiftly with his Throwing Skill.

"Pop!"

The talisman burst open.

A ring of force that breaks evil swept around them.

Catching a mere glimpse, it seemed as if a shadow flitted through the dense white fog.

"What’s happening?" Zhou Hong, seeing Chen’s actions, asked.

Her voice betrayed a hint of nervousness.

"Everyone, be careful, we’ve caught the attention of an Evil Wraith!" Chen declared seriously.

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces grew pale as they readied themselves for defense.

"We’re doomed, why would there be an Evil Wraith here?" the old cultivator muttered: "Could it have... fled to here."

"Hey, old man, stop jinxing us," Zhao Chang Er said irritably. "It certainly isn’t that one, or we would be dead by now."

The old cultivator quickly shut his mouth with a sheepish expression.

Chen Li, to the contrary, seemed contemplative upon hearing this.

The reason why the Evil Wraith hadn’t attacked might be its wariness of the stack of Evil-Breaking Talismans he had. And perhaps it had targeted him because of these talismans. With so many Evil-Breaking Talismans on him, he was like a torch in the darkness, far too conspicuous among the crowd.

With every passing second, the tension escalated to breathlessness.

Chen Li’s Spiritual Sense seemed to catch a vague figure, and he cast another Evil-Breaking Talisman.

The fog stirred mysteriously from time to time, yet he missed again.

The stack of talismans on his chest grew hotter and hotter, to the point of becoming scorching. Undeterred, Chen Li even closed his eyes, relying on his Spiritual Sense. His hand occasionally flung out another talisman.

Waves of evil-breaking force cleansed the surroundings time and again.

Zhou Hong embraced Zhang Shuniang, whose face had turned pale, silently comforting her.

In a mere five or six minutes, Chen Li had cast over a dozen Evil-Breaking Talismans, and the silence around them deepened, only their urgent breathing filled the air. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Chen Li.

It was clear to all that when Chen Li’s supply of Evil-Breaking Talismans ran out,

that would be their end.

As the talismans were consumed one after another,

waiting for the Evil Wraith to gradually lower its guard, suddenly, a Palm Thunder flared up fiercely in Chen Li’s palm.

"Boom!"

A bolt of lightning tore through the fog in an instant.

"Ah!"

A piercing scream echoed.

Chen Li’s heartbeat abruptly skipped half a beat, and it felt as though something in his chest shattered with a "snap."

That terrifying figure in the mist seemed enraged by Chen Li’s attack, charging towards him like a phantasm rather than retreating.

The Evil-Breaking Talismans on his chest began to sear as if on fire. Chen Li’s scalp tingled, and the hair on his skin stood on end at the chill of the Evil Wraith’s terrifying presence, freezing him to the core.

He was utterly unable to react.

In an instant.

The evil wraith was right before his eyes.

"It’s over!" The only thought flashed through Chen Li’s mind.

Just as he braced for death, the evil wraith, merely inches away from Chen Li, abruptly stopped, its body emitting white smoke and the stench of scorching, with the air itself distorting.

This evil wraith, shrouded in a faint shadow, had withered skin and yellowed hair, and was still decked in tattered ragged cloth, a sight that shocked anyone who saw it!

"It’s fearing the Evil-Breaking Talisman..." Another thought flashed through his mind.

"Damn it!" Chen Li gritted his teeth, struggling against the terrible pressure. His lips moved slightly, and with a raise of his hand, he unleashed a Palm Thunder.

The body of the evil wraith flickered, dodging like a phantom in an instant.

But in the next moment, Chen Li channeled all his spiritual power, yanked out his sword fiercely, and thrust with a bolt of lightning, the sword creating a piercing screech as it cleaved through the air.

"Clang!"

The sharp sword blade struck the enemy, but was blocked by the shadow around it, leaving it unscathed.

"I refuse to believe this." Chen Li’s fear ignited his ferocity, and a light blazed from his eyes, a hundred times brighter than the sun, turning night into day in an instant.

The evil wraith seemed quite afraid of the light.

It stiffened all over, exposed to the Flash Skill.

After his marrow refinement, Chen Li’s reaction was incredibly swift. Seeing its vulnerability, he dashed forward, concentrating all his strength into a singular thrust toward the evil wraith. This thrust was the fastest and most powerful among all his swordsmanship techniques.

In a split second, an explosive sound burst forth.

The longsword pierced the thick air like terrifying lightning.

The evil wraith regained its senses, managing only to dodge slightly.

"Boom!"

An arm, pale and eerie, was instantly blown apart.

"Ah!"

The wraith let out another piercing scream, and then Chen Li’s vision blurred, and he lost sight of the enemy.

"Where did it go?"

Chen Li cast another Flash Skill, searching continuously with eyes like searchlights.

But no trace of the foe could be found, neither ahead nor behind him. He then discovered that even the severed arm he had just blasted was gone without a trace.

Only specks of black blood remained on the ground.

"How is this possible? Did it grow legs or something!"

He was extremely vigilant.

A long while passed.

Not until the thick stack of Evil-Breaking Talismans on his chest gradually lost their heat did Chen Li know for certain that the evil wraith had been thoroughly scared away.

He relaxed inwardly and nearly collapsed onto the ground.

It was only then that he noticed everyone scattered on the ground. Chen Li was startled and quickly went over to help Zhou Hong, checking on her, relieved to find that she had only fainted.

"That... the evil wraith... where?" Zhou Hong weakly asked as she came to.

"Don’t worry, the evil wraith has left." Chen Li said with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Nothing serious, just a bit of a headache," Zhou Hong said, holding her head.

"Sit for a while; I’ll go wake the others."

"Mhm!" Zhou Hong replied faintly.

Next, Chen Li woke everyone up, one by one.

"I’m actually still alive." Zhao Chang Er suddenly pinched his own thigh, overjoyed. "Thank you, Chen, for the rescue!"

Chen Li waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s not talk about gratitude. This isn’t a place to linger; we should leave now."

"Right, right, right!" Loose Cultivator hastily agreed, struggling to his feet. "Evil wraiths are vengeful. Once it has it eyes on you, it’s relentless until death."

Zhang Yan helped Zhang Shuniang to her feet. "Look, the fog is clearing."

The fog around them was thinning more and more.

Clearly, the previous heavy fog hadn’t been natural.

All around them was desolate, silent.

"It seems like we’ve been walking in circles," Zhou Hong said. "We’ve completely lost touch with the main force."

"We shouldn’t be too far behind!" said Chen Li.

...

The group resumed their journey.

On the way, Chen Li took out the pendant on his chest and found that the mysterious Red Jade, which could be used to fend off mental attacks and was given by the great-grandson of the Zhou Family, was now full of cracks.

"Crack!"

Without much force,

The Red Jade shattered into several pieces, falling to the ground.

"No wonder, during the wraith’s terrifying shriek, others fainted, but I alone was unaffected." Chen Li thought to himself.

"What a pity... it’s completely ruined!"

Chen Li’s face showed distress as he tore off the cord and threw it to the ground.

It wasn’t just the Jade Pendant.

He had used more than thirty Evil-Breaking Talismans, and upon examining the rest of the hundred-plus left, he noticed that the spiritual power imprinted on them was also largely depleted, rendering them almost useless. The loss was severe.

Fortunately, he was still alive,

And thank goodness he had carried many Evil-Breaking Talismans.

Otherwise, he likely would have met with more misfortune than luck this time.

The group quickened their pace, catching up with the main force just before dawn.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.