The spectral breath of the Shadow Wolf ignited the decaying leaves like ghost fire, and instantly, a pungent smell of scorching filled the air, becoming even more eerie in the dim forest.
Malaise Night-Eye, this Dark Elf Priestess, slowly stepped out from the burning tree shadows.
She wore a dark ceremonial robe woven from Spider Silk, which gently swayed with her steps, revealing faint Shadow Tentacles seeping from the hem. On her pale skin behind her, blood-colored Demonic Marks floated like vines.
In her hand, she tightly gripped a Bone Flute carved with the Totem of a Treant—a symbol granted to high-ranking Priests by the Lord of the Dark Forest—which now shimmered with a deep, faint light.
“The scent of Dragon Blood…”
Malaise slightly tilted her head, slowly licking the body of the flute, her eyes revealing endless greed.
“More intoxicating than the rumors suggested.”
The voice seemed to squeeze out from between her teeth, carrying a chill that made the surrounding air feel somewhat solidified.
The flute sound suddenly rose, sharp and bizarre. Twelve Shadow Leopards leaped out from the void. Their bodies were like flowing night curtains, without a trace of other colors, only their eyes, radiating bloodthirsty light, stood out sharply in the darkness. Their Claws slashed through the air, leaving behind streaks of purple residue, carrying a deadly threat.
Leah’s eyes sharpened, and the Long Sword in her hand moved swiftly, Frost Sword Qi slashing out like lightning.
“Ice Prism Piercing!”
The Runes on the Long Sword flickered with a faint blue light, and countless sharp Ice Shards shot towards the leading Shadow Leopard. The Ice Shards glittered with Cold Light under the moonlight, like a swarm of blue arrows, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
However, the Shadow Leopard was exceptionally agile, flashing its body and turning into a wisp of shadow mist. The Frost Sword Qi only sliced through a dissipating mist, while the real Claws struck towards Nia’s throat like lightning.
“Phoenix Nods Head!”
At the critical moment, Lord Zhao Yun shouted, and the tip of the Star Shattering Spear suddenly struck the Shadow Leopard’s Brow Center like a meteor.
The Starlight on the spear tip bloomed like needles, instantly piercing the shadow core. A powerful Strength erupted, and the Shadow Leopard let out a painful howl, revealing its physical form as it fell.
Zhao Yun’s movement was like lightning; he spun and swept sideways, the Spear Shaft whistling through the air, striking down heavily on the Spine of the second Shadow Leopard with immense Strength.
Seeing this, Malaise sneered and changed the tone of the Bone Flute, making the sound increasingly rapid and painful to the eardrums. The flute sound transformed into tangible sound blades that whistled through the air, striking Zhao Yun with sharp piercing sounds.
Zhao Yun swept his spear sideways again, easily shattering all the sound blades. Fragments of the sound blades scraped against Zhao Yun’s Silver Armor, creating a series of Sparks. The Sparks splashed onto the ground, instantly igniting the surrounding decaying leaves, and the fire quickly spread, illuminating the battlefield even brighter.
“Hmph, you have some skill!”
“But this won't change your fate!”
A flicker of surprise crossed Malaise’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by ruthlessness.
Aleia’s Beast Pupils instantly burst with golden flames. She roared, rushing towards Malaise at high speed like a golden bolt of lightning.
“How dare you try to harm Lord Zhao Yun, die!”
Her voice was filled with anger, her Claws flashing with Cold Light, stirring up gusts of wind. Wherever she passed, the air seemed to be torn apart.
Malaise’s figure suddenly blurred, leaving only an afterimage in place.
Aleia missed her strike but felt a powerful force coming from behind her.
She quickly turned around to see Malaise already perched high in the tree canopy, eight Shadow Tentacles resembling spider legs extending from beneath her ceremonial robe, grasping at her like a blooming black evil flower with bared fangs and claws.
“Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix!”
Zhao Yun roared, leaping into the air by stepping on the falling Shadow Leopard. The Star Shattering Spear danced rapidly in his hand, the Spear Shadow instantly transforming into an Azure Luan spreading its wings, like a flock of agile divine birds flying in the air. Every Spear Shadow carried immense Strength, slicing through the air with sharp whistles.
Malaise’s eyes tightened, and the spider legs intertwined into a net, attempting to block this fierce attack.
The Spear Shadow and the Shadow Tentacles collided, erupting in dazzling light and powerful impact. The light illuminated the entire forest; the leaves, bathed in the glow, seemed to be edged with gold, before being shaken loose and falling due to the shockwave.
Malaise’s ceremonial robe shattered under this force, revealing the writhing blood-colored Demonic Marks on her back. These Demonic Marks seemed stimulated, twisting wildly and emitting an even stronger evil aura.
“I see.”
Zhao Yun used the tip of his spear to push off the ground and rose again, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
“Your power originates from the Demonic Marks.”
Malaise’s pupils contracted sharply, a trace of panic flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. The flute sound suddenly became shrill, like the scream of a Night Owl, echoing through the forest.
Millions of Fallen Leaves in the Dark Forest instantly suspended in the air, each leaf blade coated with an emerald poisonous glow, shooting towards Zhao Yun like countless green throwing knives.
Zhao Yun advanced instead of retreating, swirling the Star Shattering Spear in a Yin-Yang rotation, forming a massive Starlight Qi Vortex around the spear shaft. The vortex spun rapidly, shredding all the poisonous leaves.
“Pear Blossom Storm!”
The tip of Zhao Yun’s Star Shattering Spear burst forth with thousands of Starlight points, pouring down like a Rainstorm. The Starlight glittered with golden light, weaving into a dense net of light in the air, shooting towards Malaise.
Malaise’s ceremonial robe billowed like bat wings, and the Shadow Tentacles rapidly wove into a dense net, attempting to resist this wave of attack.
However, this was merely a feint by Zhao Yun. Just as Malaise was fully resisting the Starlight, Zhao Yun suddenly retracted his spear, spun, and pointed his left hand, fingers together like a sword, striking the intersection of the Demonic Marks on her right shoulder. Dragon Mark Azure Light flowed backward along the Demonic Mark, instantly igniting Malaise’s markings.
“Aaaargh!”
Malaise immediately let out a piercing scream, her body trembling violently, an expression of extreme pain on her face.
“How could you know…”
Malaise looked at Zhao Yun in disbelief, her voice laced with a hint of terror.
“The flow of Demonic Marks shares the same origin as the body’s acupoints.”
Zhao Yun’s gaze was piercing as he smashed her blocking Bone Flute with the Spear Butt.
“All things have a vital point.”
The Bone Flute broke, and thick Black Blood gushed out, splashing onto the ground and instantly corroding black pits, emitting a pungent odor.
As Malaise retreated violently, she tore open a Teleportation Scroll. A flash of light appeared, and her figure gradually vanished within the light.
However, Ross was prepared; an Emerald Arrow shot through her wrist like a meteor. Malaise let out a painful cry, and the light of the Teleportation Scroll dimmed accordingly.
Aleia seized the opportunity to pounce, her Claws flashing with Cold Light, fiercely tearing open the core of the Demonic Marks on her back.
“This is the consequence of trying to harm Lord Zhao Yun!” Aleia roared.
“No!!”
Malaise’s shriek shook the snow accumulated on the treetop, causing snowflakes to drift down like white butterflies dancing in the night sky.
“This is what I paid everything to obtain!!”
Her voice, filled with despair and unwillingness, echoed in the night sky.
The tip of the Star Shattering Spear was pressed against her throat. Zhao Yun stared at her, his eyes revealing cold Killing Intent.
“Tell me, how did you know the specific coordinates of our Black Moon Altar?”
A sinister smile suddenly curled on Malaise’s lips, and her body cracked like pottery.
“It is said the Black Moon Altar holds the secret to ascending to the Divine Realm…”
Malaise’s remains exploded into Poisonous Mist, leaving only a cold laugh echoing in the woods. The Poisonous Mist rapidly spread, enveloping everything around them and emitting a nauseating smell.
Zhao Yun couldn't stop it in time, his brow furrowing slightly, feeling that the world held more and more mysteries.
Aleia’s Claws were still dripping the Priestess’s Black Blood, but her tail had already quietly wrapped around Zhao Yun’s wrist armor.
“Lord Zhao Yun, my Claws could tear apart ten more Priestesses like her!”
Her amber vertical pupils reflected the Dragon Mark Azure Light, and the fur on her ears trembled lightly in the night wind.
Nia stood on tiptoe and pinned a freshly picked glowing Night Orchid onto Zhao Yun’s Spear Tassel; the Silver Bells jingled with the movement.
“Sister’s tail is about to turn your arm purple, Lord!”
The girl giggled and hopped away, her skirt sweeping across Ross’s taut bowstring.
Ross was stroking the bowstring, his Emerald Pupils reflecting the phosphorescent fire drifting in the woods, worry showing in his eyes.
Leah used the tip of her sword to pick up the unburnt remnant page of the Teleportation Scroll; her ice-blue pupils held unease.
“More and more forces are trying to spy on the Black Moon Altar.”
She turned to look at Zhao Yun, wanting to hear his opinion.
“What should we do next?”
Zhao Yun stroked the Azure Dragon Jade Pendant at his waist; a faint Dragon Roar seemed to tremble within the warm jade.
He recalled that night outside Xinye City, when his Lord stuffed a warmed wine skin into his armor: “Zilong, go forth and seek clarity for the world.”
He looked up at the uneasy Female Swordsman, the Bonfire that spanned time and space reflected in his eyes.
“Even if a thousand armies block the way, it only means breaking a few more spears.”
“Let’s go!”
Under Zhao Yun’s lead, the group continued their journey towards the direction of the Black Moon Altar, their figures gradually disappearing into the dark forest. Only the twinkling Starlight and the occasional sound of insects remained to witness their departure.