fantasy novels Chapter 116 The Evil Path Appears in the Canyon
Chapter 116 The Evil Path Appears in the Canyon
We reached the middle of the canyon.
A sharp, piercing sound suddenly erupted from the tops of the cliffs on both sides.
Dozens of black shadows shot down from the cliff face—not arrows, but crossbows—poisoned crossbows specially made by the evil race. The arrowheads were twice as long as ordinary arrows, their tips gleaming with a chilling green light, coated with a potent evil poison. The sound of the arrowheads slicing through the air was sharp and thin, like countless mosquitoes buzzing in one's ear. The density of the crossbow bolts was immense, covering every space in the canyon passage; there was nowhere to hide to the left or right, no time to retreat forward or backward, and no gap to squeeze through above or below.
Su Muyue formed hand seals, her speed so fast that only afterimages remained. Twelve array flags unfurled in mid-air, their runes lighting up simultaneously. Golden array patterns surged forth from beneath her feet like a tide, layering over the heads and sides of the five people, forming an indestructible barrier. A high-grade Xuan-rank, Thousand-Layer Evil-Resistant Array, a defensive formation passed down through the Su family, specifically designed to counter ranged attacks from evil races.
The crisp, tinkling sounds blended together.
The poisoned crossbow bolts struck the array patterns; some were deflected, while others remained embedded, like flies stuck to a leech. The malevolent poison on the arrowheads clung to the surface of the array patterns, continuously corroding them. The golden array patterns dimmed at a visible rate, like a lamp being slowly dimmed. Su Muyue's face paled, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She continuously channeled her true energy into the array flags to maintain the array's operation.
"The array won't hold for long." There was a hint of tension in her voice, but her hands didn't tremble. "The enemy doesn't just have archers; there are others lurking in the shadows, preparing an even stronger attack."
As soon as she finished speaking, her body swayed slightly. The latent blood poison within her body, stimulated by the intense evil energy around her, began to stir restlessly, like a startled snake writhing uneasily within her meridians. Her breathing became erratic for a moment, and the brightness of the array patterns fluctuated accordingly.
Lin Chen's star power has been transferred.
Without any unnecessary movements, not even turning his head, a gentle, pure stellar energy, imbued with the power to dispel evil, flowed from his dantian along the ground to Su Muyue's feet, precisely locating the restless blood poison within her body. The moment the stellar energy touched the blood poison, it recoiled like a mouse seeing a cat, cowering obediently in a corner, motionless.
Su Muyue's breathing stabilized again, and the brightness of the array patterns returned to normal.
Just then, a chilling laugh echoed from the top of the canyon. The laugh was neither loud nor soft, neither fast nor slow, like a snake crawling on the ground, making a rustling sound, sliding down the cliff wall, and entering everyone's ears.
Three dark figures leaped down from the cliff face. Their black robes fluttered in the wind, but they landed almost silently. They landed steadily twenty paces ahead of the group, lined up in a row, blocking the way through the canyon.
Three evil cultivators, at the early stage of the Transformation Realm.
The black robe was embroidered with black snake patterns, the snakes' heads pointing upwards, their tongues flicking, identical to those of the Black Snake organization that had been wiped out in Black Wind Ridge, but with more refined craftsmanship. The snake patterns were embroidered with dark red silk thread, appearing faintly against the black fabric like congealed blood. The leader's face was gaunt, with high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, and cloudy pupils that were devoid of pupils, only a grayish-white. A strange smile stretched across his lips, revealing blackened gums and uneven teeth.
"Interesting." His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper grinding iron. "He carries the bloodline of a Martial Emperor and possesses this incomparably pure power of the stars—tsk tsk, with two supreme treasures gathered together, today is truly a tremendous harvest. It was worth waiting two days and two nights in the canyon."
The evil figure on the left licked his chapped lips, his hands slowly forming a strange, malevolent hand seal. His ten fingers twisted at unnatural angles, like broken branches that had been reattached. Black, malevolent energy surged from his fingertips, spreading around him like ink dripping into water.
"Vice Principal Qin wasn't lying after all. The young master will surely reward us handsomely for capturing these two." His gaze swept back and forth between Lin Chen and Su Muyue, as if appraising two pieces of merchandise. "First, cripple that woman's bloodline, then extract your Star Martial Core. With these two things, our status within the clan—" He let out a low chuckle, "will we still need to wear this tattered robe?"
Leng Feng took a step forward.
He took a heavy step, crushing the gravel beneath his feet with a crisp crack. He raised his battle sword high, the blade held horizontally in front of him, his brownish-yellow protective aura forming a thick armor. He activated the military's "Formation-Breaking Sword Technique" at full power, the amplification runes on the blade glowing a dark red light, like flowing lava.
"A bunch of cowards hiding in the shadows, daring to spout such nonsense." His voice was deep, like two pieces of steel clashing. "If you want to make a move, you'll have to get past me first."
No one moved, no one spoke. The air in the canyon seemed to freeze; even the wind stopped.
The wicked one on the right made the first move.
Without warning, without a preparatory stance. One second he was standing there, the next he had transformed into a black shadow, moving with incredible speed, leaving a trail of afterimages in the air. His claws, imbued with a dense, black, malevolent power, the nails on his five fingers as long as daggers, their tips gleaming with a chilling blue light, hurtled straight at Leng Feng's face. Wherever the claws passed, the air sizzled and corroded, like water in a pan of boiling oil.
Leng Feng neither dodged nor avoided.
The battle blade slashed horizontally, its edge colliding fiercely with the evil claw.
Boom—
A deafening roar echoed through the narrow canyon, like thunder or a landslide. A violent shockwave rippled outwards from the point of impact, scattering rubble and sending vines swaying wildly across the cliff faces. Leng Feng stumbled backward, each step leaving a deep imprint on the ground. He only regained his footing after five steps; his hand was split open, blood trickling down the hilt of his sword.
He glanced down at his hands, then up at the wicked man opposite him, his face expressionless. But Lin Chen noticed that his hand gripping the knife was trembling slightly—not from fear, but from a spasm caused by excessive muscle strain. The difference in cultivation level between the early stages of the Transformation Realm couldn't be bridged by willpower alone.
"To rely solely on physical strength and swordsmanship to directly confront a villain at the Transformation Realm." The leader of the villains smirked, a half-smile playing on his lips. "He's quite the tough guy. Too bad, tough guys die young."
He raised his hand and waved.
The black vines on both sides of the canyon seemed to have been infused with life, writhing wildly. These vines were no longer lifeless things hanging from the cliff face, but had come alive, some as thick as pythons, others as thin as tentacles, coiling with evil power and sweeping in from all directions. The surface of the vines was covered with barbs, from which hung a blackish-purple sap that dripped onto the ground, hissing and corroding.