Chapter 1543: Boundless Demon Domain

Sounds of fighting rose from all around once more. Hei Shi had arrived with men from Tianmo Sacred Land, driving off and hunting down the people of Tianlan Sacred Land and Wuxu Sacred Land.

Watching the scene unfold, the people of Qiyun Sect finally understood what was happening. Wu Chang had turned on the other two factions, while this group of Nascent Soul cultivators who had appeared out of nowhere had joined hands with him against Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu.

Only three of the Nine Saints remained. Things had already deteriorated to this point; they could no longer even control all beneath Heaven, yet they were still slaughtering one another. Even as bystanders, the people of Qiyun Sect could not understand what these people were thinking.

There was nothing they could do except watch and remain neutral. Whoever won, they would obey. Choosing a side recklessly was asking to die.

Niu Youdao looked back at Hei Shi leading his men into the fighting, then fixed his gaze on Kunlin Shu and reminded him again, "Remember, the moment we succeed, break the formation and get us out immediately. Do not hesitate for even an instant, or we may be in danger!"

Kunlin Shu nodded. "Don't worry. If Wu Chang wants to kill me, it won't be that easy."

Niu Youdao looked around at the others and repeated his warning. "Remember, don't split up lightly. If Wu Chang attacks Kunlin Shu, you must stop him and buy Kunlin Shu enough time to break the formation. Otherwise none of you will escape the Boundless Demon Domain. Wu Chang will simply destroy you one by one. And Monkey is the main attacker. Your attacks must revolve around him. Protect him well."

Everyone nodded.

Niu Youdao said, "We can't delay any longer. Go."

The group exchanged glances. Following the plan they had agreed upon, Zhuge Chi and Yuan Cong each grabbed one of Yuan Gang's arms and shot into the sky first.

Kunlin Shu, Ao Feng, and Wang Zun sprang up close behind them.

Niu Youdao, Yun Ji, and Yin'er remained where they were, looking up as the six disappeared into the rolling black clouds.

Hei Shi came rushing over with several men, sword in hand, and landed beside the three.

He was clearly surprised. After looking them over, he asked, "You're not going in?"

Niu Youdao unfastened the sword at his waist and let its tip settle against the ground before him, both hands resting atop the hilt.

It was an old habitual pose, one he had hidden for a very long time. Today, he had taken down his sword and resumed it once more.

He gave Hei Shi a cold sidelong glance and said mildly, "We're here to cover their withdrawal. If Wu Chang breaks his word, we'll kill you and take you down with us."

"..."

The corner of Hei Shi's mouth twitched. The situation immediately became awkward. He no longer quite dared move closer, yet staying beside them felt wrong and leaving did too.

He knew perfectly well they were not joking. If any one of those three attacked him, he feared he would have little chance of escaping alive.

Still, there was no point overthinking it now. He turned and gestured. The Tianmo Sacred Land personnel who had been arriving one after another after driving away the other two factions immediately spread out around the mountaintop to prevent anyone from barging in and interfering.

...

Inside the rolling black clouds, Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu flew at high speed, probing for any possible path of escape.

The six who had entered the clouds looked around and found themselves surrounded by seemingly endless black mist. They stayed tightly clustered, not daring to separate without good reason.

Yuan Gang, carried in by the others, freed one arm and pulled the long cloth-wrapped object from his back. He gripped the hilt and gave it a shake. The wrapping flew away, revealing the Three-Roars Saber in his hand.

Within the black clouds, Wu Chang stood with his eyes closed, his long hair moving without wind. He sensed every disturbance inside the Boundless Demon Domain while pouring his full strength into controlling it.

Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu's rapid flight was putting him under pressure. Both were moving forward at full speed. If he did not devote himself fully to shifting the formation around them, there was a real chance they might force their way out.

Sensing that another six people had entered, Wu Chang opened his eyes. With a sweep of one arm, he parted a vast stretch of mist before him as casually as brushing fog aside.

Kunlin Shu and the others quickly turned their heads and saw Wu Chang floating silently in the air.

Those who had never experienced this before were startled. Wu Chang was barely a dozen feet away, and an immense tide of spiritual power was pouring from his body, yet until that moment none of them had sensed him at all.

Wu Chang looked twice at Yuan Gang, who was being held suspended in the air, then fixed his gaze on the Three-Roars Saber. He gave a cold snort inwardly. So it really was this fellow!

He asked, "Nine people came. Why are there only six of you?"

Yuan Gang answered, "So long as you don't try anything, six are enough."

Wu Chang said, "Are you ready? If you are, we begin."

Yuan Gang said, "We're ready. We can't see where they are."

Wu Chang said, "You will. They're still together right now. If you want to deal with them one at a time, you'll need to separate them first. Only then can I divide them with the formation. So you need to attack first."

Yuan Gang said, "You'd better not play any tricks."

What could you do about it even if I did? Wu Chang thought disdainfully, though he did not say it aloud. "Don't worry. Eliminating those two old ghosts comes first. I have no interest in causing trouble with you right now."

Yuan Gang held the saber crosswise. "Begin."

Black mist surged up between the two sides, cutting off their view of one another. Wu Chang vanished from the six men's sight.

A moment later, the black fog before them began rolling and heaving as though whipped by a sudden storm. Hidden behind the mist, an opening appeared.

Through it, the six saw two people flying at high speed through the sea of fog: Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu.

Yet no matter how fast the two flew, they seemed almost to remain suspended directly before the six.

No one could tell whether Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu simply could not fly out, or whether the formation itself was shifting so quickly that it kept the six moving parallel to them.

This alone allowed those seeing it for the first time to appreciate how profound and wondrous the Boundless Demon Domain truly was.

The sight of Du Wuxu made Ao Feng's confidence falter. This man was his grandmaster. Put another way, Du Wuxu had never passed down his deepest arts, and his cultivation far surpassed Ao Feng's besides. Ao Feng had spent nearly his entire life under Du Wuxu's oppressive shadow. How could he not feel nervous now?

While the others were still exchanging looks, Kunlin Shu stopped hesitating. He brought his palms together with a clap, then swiftly formed a sword art and pointed.

Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu suddenly saw red light flicker to one side. A dense storm of whistling sounds followed as a gigantic serpent formed from countless flaming swords came twisting toward them.

The two immediately struck out with their palms again and again. Their tremendous attacks shattered the incoming fire swords into an exploding sea of flame.

A fierce look crossed Du Wuxu's face. He suddenly flashed forward, uneven black light bursting from all over his body.

The black radiance pulsed in and out like spines covering a hedgehog, each flare exquisitely precise. Not a single one of the dense incoming fire swords found a gap; every sword was destroyed by the pulsing black light.

Du Wuxu forced his way straight through the exploding sea of flame and charged like a thunderbolt toward the source of the fire. The ambushers were obviously hiding behind it.

In the darkness, Wu Chang stood with eyes closed and swept both hands again and again. From outside, the vast clouds overhead could be seen rolling violently.

Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu vanished from Kunlin Shu and the others' view.

Du Wuxu charged into the place where the targets had been hiding and found no one there. Looking back, he dimly saw Lan Daolin rushing after him, but then a curtain of black mist dropped between them. Lan Daolin, plainly charging toward him a moment earlier, seemed to disappear without a trace.

Du Wuxu flashed back toward him, yet still could not see Lan Daolin. He hovered in place and looked around. Lan Daolin was gone, leaving him seemingly alone in this endless black fog.

Lan Daolin had clearly seen Du Wuxu ahead of him. Yet when he flashed to the spot, Du Wuxu too had vanished.

He darted about searching, but still saw no trace of the man. His brows slowly drew together.

Du Wuxu, likewise hovering alone and looking rapidly in every direction, also sensed something was wrong.

Both men realized the same thing. This Boundless Demon Domain was no longer the one they had experienced before. Wu Chang had brought his control of it to an entirely different level.

Perhaps practice had made perfect. Perhaps Wu Chang's cultivation had advanced again.

Whatever the reason, both understood one thing: this time Wu Chang truly had come with hostile intent.

...

The people on the ground heard rolling booms from within the black clouds. Everyone in Qiyun Sect understood that the fighting inside had begun.

What they did not understand was why all of them had to hide inside those pitch-black clouds to fight.

They did not understand the mysteries of the Boundless Demon Domain. They did not know Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu wanted to get out but could not.

Niu Youdao drew a deep breath. His gaze fell on Hei Shi beside him, who was also looking upward. Suddenly he called, "Hey."

Hei Shi turned in surprise.

Niu Youdao tilted his head, signaling him over.

Hei Shi glanced at the people beside him. After a moment's hesitation, he waved them away.

He had just opened his mouth to ask what Niu Youdao wanted when Niu Youdao spoke first.

"Where has Wu Chang hidden the Heaven-Swallowing Ring?"

"..."

Hei Shi froze, then smiled. "You're asking the wrong person. How could I possibly know?"

Niu Youdao said, "You may not know exactly where it is, but you've spent years at his side. You should have some idea where he might hide it. Today I'll leave you with one promise: if someday you find yourself with nowhere left to go, find the Heaven-Swallowing Ring and bring it to us. We'll leave you a road to survival."

Hei Shi merely smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Inwardly, however, he was cursing furiously. He had not even gotten a bite of the meat, and now he might end up covered in the stink.

He had thought they wanted to use a Wuliang Fruit to turn him. So this bastard had actually called him over about the Heaven-Swallowing Ring. And here Hei Shi had obediently waved all his subordinates away for them...

...

Kunlin Shu and the others had lost their targets and were looking around when the black clouds shifted again. Wu Chang's figure emerged from the mist and appeared beside them.

He swept his gaze over the six and said unhurriedly, "I've separated them. You can attack without concern now."

With that, mist rose once more, cutting off their sight. Wu Chang vanished from before them like a ghost.

Another change followed. The mist before the six suddenly roiled violently again. Through the narrow line of sight Wu Chang opened for them, they saw Lan Daolin.

Du Wuxu was no longer at his side.

They had indeed been separated.

Yuan Gang looked left and right. "Follow the plan. I'm the main attacker."

Yuan Cong, Wang Zun, and Ao Feng all drew deep breaths despite themselves. Their tension was obvious.

Even so, the three split up and moved away. At this point there was no longer any choice. If they refused to fight, none of them could expect to leave easily with all Three Sacred Venerables still alive.

Using the mist as cover, the three quietly moved into positions around Lan Daolin.

Yuan Gang, Zhuge Chi, and Kunlin Shu remained together. Kunlin Shu stood in front, watching Lan Daolin like a tiger waiting to pounce, while Zhuge Chi stayed behind Yuan Gang, holding him up by the belt with spiritual power so that Yuan Gang floated level with the others.

This was an arrangement Niu Youdao had made after careful consideration. Zhuge Chi should possess the highest cultivation among them, making him best suited to this role and able to provide Yuan Gang with the greatest protection.

[End of Chapter 1543]