The blood moon had not yet set, and the morning mist on Black Wind Ridge was as thick and cold as if stirred by ink. I stepped on the wet grass up to my ankles, following behind the ink dust, taking deep and shallow steps. He was fine, his wolf-tailed cloak fluttered, his steps were as light as a float, and from time to time he turned back to urge me --
"Hurry up, little mouse. Dawdle again, the sun is about to rise."
I rolled my eyes. Where does the sun come from? The three blood moons of the demon world take turns 24 hours a day. Clearly disdainful of me holding me back. But who could have let me fall to the Foundation level and even struggle to control a sword? If you want to retort, hold it back first. It's important to save your life.
"Ahead is the black wind, thirty mile steep slope, go down in one breath, don't stop."
Before he could finish his words, a strange whoosh came from afar, like the snoring of a giant beast. I narrowed my eyes and saw that the sky had suddenly darkened by three parts, and a dark vortex stretched across the ridge, slowly swirling - the magic vortex! Wherever it passed, the grass and trees withered instantly, and sand and stones flew.
My throat tightened: "Hey, go straight through?" Are you sure?"
"Not sure." Mo Chen turned his head, and the voice beneath the mask was laughing. "But you can go around - fifty more miles, you choose."
Fifty li? I won't be able to get there on my legs until it gets dark. With a bite of the root: "Wear! Life is important, but time is even more crucial!"
"Have some guts." He chuckled, suddenly reached out his hand, flipped his fingers, and the dark demonic flame rose up, turning into a thin curtain of light. "Come in, don't fall behind."
I quickly got into the light curtain, the magic energy was blocked out, and my breathing immediately became smooth. He raised his hand and threw me a bone piece: "Put it in your mouth, don't swallow it."
The bone was cold, with a hint of sweet and fishy flavor. I held it in my mouth, and in an instant, a coolness ran through my body, and the pain in my meridians lessened a little - Purified magic bone? Good stuff!
"Don't get too excited too early." Mo Chen said indifferently, "The center of the magic vortex is the test. Stay close to me. If you fall behind, your bones will be gone."
I took a deep breath and nodded. He suddenly reached out his hand, grabbed my back collar and lifted me up in mid-air like a cat: "To save your slow pace, I'll take you for a while."
"Hey --!"
Before the cry had died down, he had turned into a dark shadow, dashing down the slope. I lifted my feet off the ground, swaying in the wind like a broken flag. The strong wind cuts the face, and the roar of the magic vortex draws nearer and nearer, like the gaping mouth of a giant beast.
"Close your eyes and don't move!" Mochen groaned, his body suddenly sank, and he charged straight towards the center of the vortex!
My heart almost jumped out of my chest, but I could only close my eyes tightly. The wind whistled in my ears, and the demonic energy collided with the demonic flame, making a "crackling" sound. My body was sometimes weightless and sometimes overweight, like being thrown into a drum washing machine.
After an unknown period of time, the wind stopped abruptly.
I opened my eyes and found myself standing in a low-lying valley, with a vortex of magic swirling behind me, but as if blocked by an invisible wall, unable to approach. Mochen laid me down, his breathing beneath the mask was a little rapid, and it was obvious that it had consumed a lot.
"Still alive?" He raised his eyebrows.
"I won't die." I coughed, my legs were weak and I almost sat down. He reached out and placed his hand on my shoulder, and there was a faint warmth in his palm, as if... Concern?
I was stunned for a moment, quickly stood firm and shook off his hand, saying, "Don't misunderstand. I'm just numb in my legs."
He chuckled, no more teasing, turned and went on. But I noticed - the moment he helped me, a brief crack appeared in the magic flame light curtain, and a wisp of magic energy took the opportunity to slip into my sleeve and was instantly swallowed by the chaos energy.
Mo Chen paused slightly, turned his head to look at me, his eyes deep, but said nothing.
...
In the afternoon, a blood moon like the sun hung high, and the air was hot and dry. We crossed a cracked plain where the ground was cracked and black smoke was rising from the crevices, as if there were countless small flames roasting beneath the ground. Occasionally, one could see low-level demonic cultivators sitting cross-legged beside the cracks, desperately absorbing the black smoke, but with a look of pain and no progress in their cultivation.
I frowned and asked in a low voice, "What are they doing?
"Inhale the magic energy to prolong life." Mo Chen's voice was faint. "The demonic energy of Black Wind Ridge is depleting day by day. If you don't inhale it, you'll die."
I was stunned: "Will the demonic energy also dry up?"
"Do you think the demon world is a paradise?" He sneered, "Three hundred years ago, the demonic energy began to wane, the land cracked, cultivation stopped. Her Majesty summoned alchemists and array masters and tried every possible way, but could only slow down the depletion rate."
My heart sank - it turned out that the demon world was also facing a "resource crisis", no wonder they were so interested in "primordial spirits". Who wouldn't be envious of being able to purify demonic energy and transform spiritual energy, which is like moving a spring?
"That's why you came to me?" I probed.
But Mo Chen suddenly stopped and listened attentively. In the next moment, his face changed slightly: "A group of low-level monsters, quite a number, are coming towards us."
I focused and indeed heard the ground shaking in the distance, like rumbling thunder. At the end of the cracked plain, black smoke rolled, and a dense array of red dots could be faintly seen - those were the eyes of monsters!
"Run?" I swallowed.
"I can't escape." Mo Chen shook his head, swung his cloak, and a double-bladed axe appeared in his hand. "Charge over and save time."
I smiled wryly and could only draw the long sword at my waist - though my cultivation had declined, the sword was still there. The primordial energy flowed along the blade, and the greyish-white light was faintly visible.
"Follow me closely and don't fall behind." Mo Chen turned his head to look at me, and his voice beneath the mask was strangely earnest. "I don't want to owe you my life."
I was stunned for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Don't worry. I'm really tough."
Before I could finish my words, black smoke rolled and the first batch of monsters burst out of the crack - like jackals, with bone spurs on their backs, red pupils, dripping saliva, and a shrill roar.
"Kill!" Mochen groomed, his body lunged out like a black panther, his axe swept, and the dark demonic flame turned into a half-moon-shaped blade light, instantly cutting two monsters in two. The blood mist sprayed, but not even touched the corner of his robe.
I did not dare to be negligent. With a flick of the long sword, the greyish-white sword qi emerged like a snake's sign and pierced precisely into the brow of a beast. The beast roared and fell to the ground, but I took two steps back, my tiger's mouth numb, due to the counter-shock.
"The intent is good, but the force is a bit weak." Mo Chen turned his head and said with a smile, "I'll go back and give you extra practice."
"Extra practice then!" " I gritted my teeth and swung my sword again. Grey and black intermingled, ice blue flashed occasionally, and we worked in perfect harmony - he swept the outer circle, I killed the inner circle, advancing and retreating, as if we had rehearsed countless times.
The hordes of monsters grew larger and larger, and new shadows kept emerging from the cracks. I gradually panted, my sword became scattered, my back was pierced by bone spurs, and the smell of blood spurred more monsters to pounced frantically.
"Damn it, too many!" I grumbled, slipping and almost being knocked down. At the critical moment, with a backhand axe, Mochen sent the pounced monster flying, and in the mist of blood, he grabbed my back collar and lifted me up into the air like a chick
"Hold on!"
He grobbed, his body spun sharply, his axe swept around, the dark demonic flames rolled like waves, and wherever it passed, monsters fell in swarms, blood mist and mutilated limbs flew together, the scene was like a slaughterhouse.
I was lifted, my feet off the ground, but I could clearly feel - a faint warmth from the hand he held at the back of my neck, as if to say: Don't be afraid, I'm here.
I felt strangely at ease.
At last, a gap was torn open in the group of monsters, and Mo Chen took the opportunity to lead me out of the encirclement. His body was like black lightning, and with a few rises and drops, he broke through the encirclement. Behind him, the remaining monsters roared in pursuit, but were blocked by his backhand flinging of several magic flame blades.
He ran several miles in one breath until he could no longer hear the roar of the monsters, and then he stopped and put me down. My legs were so weak that I almost sat down, but he reached out to hold my shoulders.
"Still alive? His voice was laughing, but he couldn't hide his slight panting.
"I won't die." I panted, but grinned, "It's you who have good stamina."
"Stop flattering me." He snorted but didn't let go, a faint warmth in the palm of his hand, to sort out my disordered breath. I was stunned for a moment, looking up at him, the eyes beneath the mask had a hint of... Worry?
"Don't misunderstand." He noticed my gaze, let go at once, turned and went on, but a light voice came, "I just don't want to owe you my life."
I rubbed my shoulders and looked at his back, but a strange feeling rose in my heart: This guy isn't as cold-blooded and heartless as the legend says.
...
In the evening, we finally reached a natural stone fort. The stone fort was built along the mountain, and its high walls were covered with sharp bone spurs. At the entrance, two groups of black-armored demonic cultivators stood solemnly, with black flame patterns embroidered on their chests. Seeing the ink dust arrive, they all saluted: "See the deputy commander!"
Deputy Commander? I raised my eyebrows and looked at Mo Chen, but he seemed not to notice and simply ordered, "Prepare hot water, wound medicine, clean clothes. And -- "he turned his head to look at me," a table of wine and dishes, hot."
"Yes!" " The cultivators took their orders and left, but their eyes turned curiously around me, apparently for the first time seeing the deputy commander bring outsiders back to the fort.
I lowered my voice: "Deputy Commander? I'm not a high-ranking official."
Mo Chen snorted, and his voice was faint beneath the mask: "Her Majesty personally appointed, one of the three deputy commanders of Black Wind Ridge. So -- "he turned his head to look at me, the silver-patterned mask shining cold in the setting sun," Don't hold me back or embarrass me."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing: "Don't worry, my face is more important than my life."
He suddenly reached out and brushed the dust off my shoulder, his voice so low that only two could hear: "Life is more important than face. Don't die, at least -- don't die in front of me."
I was stunned, but a warm feeling welled up in my heart. This guy is tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
Deep in the stone fort, the lights are on, hot water, medicine for wounds, wine and food are all available. I was soaking in a wooden barrel, with hot water over my wounds, baring my teeth in pain but sighing in comfort. Outside the window, the blood moon was setting and the night was deepening.
After changing into clean clothes, I walked out of the room and saw Mo Chen leaning against the porch, carrying a wine jug, as if waiting for me. He threw me a new wine bag and said, "Taste the demon world specialty - Blood Moon Burn, which is more powerful than your alliance 'Qingyuan Brew'."
I took it and gulped it down. The spiciness burned from my throat to my stomach in an instant, but it dispelled the fatigue of the days. I couldn't help smacking my lips: "It's powerful! Just a little less gentle."
"Gentle?" Mo Chen chuckled, his voice beneath the mask carrying an inexplicable emotion. "In the demon realm, gentleness is not needed."
He raised his head to drink, his Wolf tail cloak fluttered in the night wind, and his back looked strangely lonely. I looked at him, and a strange emotion rose in my heart --
Perhaps the demon world is not as cold-blooded as I imagined; Perhaps I and this deputy leader of the demon cultivation could still be - friends?
The night wind was howling, but it could not extinguish the light in the corridor, nor could it blow away the thought that was quietly rising in my heart --
The demonic realm doesn't seem so bad either.
Blood moon burns down my throat like a line of fire rolling into my stomach, burning me to bared my teeth, but comfortable to sigh. Mo Chen leaned against the pillar of the corridor, his mask pushed up to his head, revealing half of his profile - the lines were cold and hard, the eyebrows were like knives, but the corners of his lips curved in a half-smile, half-smile, as if saying "Get out" to the whole world, but leaving the wine cup to me alone.
"Hey, Deputy Commander." I wiped the wine stain at the corner of my lips and raised my eyebrows. "Take off your mask, aren't you afraid I'll reveal your appearance? If I were a spy of the alliance, you would lose out."
He snorted, flicked his Wolf tail cloak, sat opposite me, and twirled an empty cup with his fingertips: "Looks?" The demon world makes a living by fists, not by faces. "Again --" the amber-colored vertical eye narrowed slightly, with a vague look, "you have this level of cultivation. If you want to sell me, someone else will have to dare to buy."
"Really sharp-tongued." I laughed, but was too lazy to retort. He's right. The first level of foundation building is not impressive at Black Wind Ridge, but the primordial spirit is enough to make me sit down at any gambling table - including that of Her Majesty the Queen.
After a few rounds of wine, the aftereffects of the blood moon burn began to take over. My head was slightly dizzy, but I couldn't stop drinking. Mo Chen suddenly raised his hand, and a dark demonic aura rolled over his sleeve, lifted the dominoes and floated in mid-air, and the dark flames flickered faintly.
"Black Flame Order, only two and a half days left." He flicked his finger and the dominoes fell back into my palm. "We'll set off for the main city at the second hour of tomorrow morning. If I delay any longer, the token will be invalidated and I won't be able to keep you."
I rubbed my eyebrows and gulped down the remaining wine in my cup: "All right, as the deputy commander arranges. "But --" I looked up at him, with a joking tone that couldn't hide seriousness, "When we get to the main city, if the queen really wants to slice me for study, which side will you stand on?"
Mo Chen was silent for a moment, his mask pulled back onto his face, and his voice was hoarse: "I only listen to the Queen's orders. But -- "he turned his head to look at me, the silver-patterned mask glowed cold in the light," If you were really worth it, no one would dare to lay a hair on you. Including me."
I felt a chill in my heart but grinned: "Value? "Let them smell it --" I raised my hand, and the greyish-white chaos swirled through my fingertips, colliding with the rich magic in the air, making a "crackling" sound like cold water dripping into boiling oil. "This is called fragrance, not meat."
Mochen stared at my fingertips, his pupils slightly constricted, and after a long while, suddenly chuckled: "You brat, you're quite good at bragging." He got up, swung his Wolf tail and strode out of the corridor, "Go to bed early and set off tomorrow morning. Black Wind Ridge to the main city, six hundred miles, two days by boat, but if you encounter a 'magic vortex', you'll have to run on two legs."
I watched his back, my tongue pressed against the upper palate, suppressing the intoxication, but a burning sensation rose in my heart - six hundred miles, magic vortex, horde of monsters, Queen's palace... This life seems to be getting bigger and bigger.
...
The next day at the hour of MAO, the morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the Stone village training ground was already filled with black-armored demon cultivators. The black dust was dressed neatly, his wolf-tailed cloak fluttering in the wind, carrying a double-bladed axe on his shoulder, like a dark god. I, on the other hand, put on a black tight-fitting cloak with a cap and a small flame pattern embroidered on my chest - courtesy of Mochen.
"Set off!" At his command, the ten-man squad set off in formation on the flying boat - the black bone boat, about ten feet long, covered with sharp bone spines, like a floating crocodile. At the bow of the boat, a huge magic crystal was set, flashing with a dim light to power the bone boat.
I followed the ink dust to the bow of the boat. The morning breeze blew, carrying a faint, sweet smell, like blood, like iron. The bone boat rose slowly into the air, and the stone fort below shrank rapidly and eventually turned into a black cube of sugar, swallowed by the morning mist.
"First time on a magic boat?" Mo Chen turned his head to look at me, and his voice was blown away a little by the wind.
"Well, it's more powerful than Qingyun Sect's Xiangyun ship." I replied honestly, with my palm touching the cold bone bar, "it just smells a bit stronger."
"Just get used to it." He chuckled, but looked into the distance. "The Demon world is not a place of comfort."
I followed his gaze - on the horizon, a blood moon slowly set in the west, and two blood moons rose alternately, and the deep red moonlight spread over the continuous black mountains, as if draping the world in a veil of blood. In the distance, at the end of the parched plain, black tornadoes could be faintly seen, slowly swirling from the sky to the earth - magic vortices.
The bone boat turned around to avoid the vortex, but one could still feel that heart-stopping suction force. I stood at the bow of the boat, my hair tousled by the morning breeze, but a strange emotion rose in my heart --
This strange land does not seem as cold-blooded and heartless as the legend says; At the very least, the deputy leader of the demonic cultivators standing beside me at this moment will pat the dust off my shoulder, will remind me that "life is more important than face", will pull me back from the brink of death in the horde of monsters.
Friend? Perhaps not yet. But the word "enemy" seems less appropriate.
...
In the afternoon, the bone boat sailed into a parched wasteland. The ground cracked and black smoke rose from the crevices, as if there were countless small flames roasting underground. Occasionally, one could see low-level demonic cultivators sitting cross-legged beside the cracks, desperately absorbing the black smoke, but with a look of pain and no progress in cultivation.
I frowned and asked in a low voice, "What are they doing?
"Inhale the magic energy to prolong life." Mo Chen's voice was faint. "The demonic energy is depleting day by day. If you don't inhale it, you'll die."
I was astonished: "Will the demonic energy also dry up?"
"Think the demon realm is a paradise?" "Three hundred years ago, the demonic energy began to decline, the land cracked, and cultivation stopped." He sneered, his eyes showing a faint weariness. The Queen summoned alchemists and array masters and tried every possible way, but could only slow down the depletion rate."
My heart sank, and I recalled the "depletion of spiritual energy" that Ling Qingxue had mentioned - it turned out that the demonic world was facing the same crisis. No wonder they are so interested in "primordial spirits", which can purify demonic energy and transform spiritual energy, like moving a spring. Who wouldn't be envious?
"That's why you came to me?" I probed.
Mo Chen suddenly raised his hand to signal me to be quiet. The next second, the bone boat shook violently --
Boom!
A black tornado, without warning, shot up from the cracked ground, straight to the bone boat! The magic vortex is coming!
"Hold on!" Mochen groomed, his hands quickly forming a seal, the bone spines on the surface of the bone boat instantly shone with a faint light, forming a dark veil that enveloped the entire boat. However, the vortex suction was terrifying, and the bone boat seemed to be grabbed by a giant hand, shaking violently, and could be dragged into the center of the storm at any moment!
I held onto the bone bar tightly, my fingertips turning white from the force. My cultivation has fallen and my spiritual power has dried up. At this moment, I can hardly stand, let alone help.
"Mo Dust --" I gritted my teeth, my voice torn apart by the storm, "I can't help!"
"Shut up!" He groaned, but with a sudden push of his hands, a dark demonic flame gushed out from his palm, transformed into a giant hand, and struck hard at the center of the vortex --
Boom!
The storm was briefly halted, and the bone boat took the opportunity to rise and break out of the suction range. But before I could breathe a sigh of relief, countless dark shadows shot up from the center of the vortex --
"Horde of monsters!" Mo Chen's face changed slightly. "Damn it, why so many!"
I looked intently and saw a dense mass of shadows, like bats, but with bone spines and fangs, crimson pupils, screeching shrill screams, lunging on the bone boat!
"Black Flame Dog, ready to fight!" Mochen groaned. On both sides of the bone boat, ten black-armored demonic cultivators responded in unison. With their bone spears in hand, demonic flames rose and they all threw --
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The bone spear turned into a black fireball in mid-air, hitting the horde of monsters precisely. Explosions rose and fell, and blood mist and limb remnants splashed everywhere. However, there were too many monsters, one after another, and it was impossible to kill them all!
I held onto the bone bars tightly, my palms drenched in sweat. My cultivation has fallen and my spiritual power has dried up. At this moment, I can hardly even fight. But at that moment, Mo Chen suddenly turned back, his gaze crossed the chaotic battlefield and landed straight on me --
"Chu Xuan, I'll borrow your spirit!"
I was stunned, and before I could react, he flashed up to me, his hands rapidly forming seals, and the dark demonic flames turned into fine threads, entwining my wrists --
"Chaos Qi, turn me!"
The primordial energy within me seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand and gushed out wildly, interwoven with the dark demonic flame and transformed into a strange flame intertwined with gray and black, which he struck at the front of the bone boat with one palm --
Boom!
The strange flames spread instantly across the entire bone ship, forming a gray-black light shield that kept the horde out. Anyone who touched the light shield let out a shrill scream and turned into a blood mist to disperse!
I watched this scene in shock - how could chaos and magic blend so perfectly?
Mo Chen, however, did not stop. His hands formed a seal again, and the grayish-black flames condensed into a huge axe shadow, which he slashed towards the center of the vortex with one axe
"Black Flame, cut off the flow!"
Boom!
The vortex was cut in half, and the storm collapsed instantly, turning into countless black air currents that scattered. The horde, deprived of the storm's protection, fled in all directions and vanished in the blink of an eye.
The bone boat shook violently and finally broke out of the storm range and landed slowly on a flat ridge. All the demonic cultivators cheered in unison and looked at Mo Chen with awe.
My legs went weak and I almost sat down, and Mo Chen reached out to hold my shoulder. His breathing beneath the mask was a little rapid, but his voice carried an inexplicable smile: "Yes, the spirit has not let me down."
I panted but grinned: "Another debt, remember to pay it back."
"Pay back." He chuckled, his voice so low that only two could hear him, "principal and interest."
...
Night, by the stone campfire.
I was soaking in a wooden barrel, with hot water over my wounds, baring my teeth in pain but sighing in comfort. Outside the window, the blood moon was setting and the night was deepening.
After changing into clean clothes, I walked out of the room and saw Mo Chen leaning against the porch, carrying a wine jug, as if waiting for me. He threw me a new wine bag: "Have a taste, the demon world specialty - Blood Moon Burn, more powerful than Zhengmeng 'Qingyuan Brew'."
I took it and gulped it down. The spiciness burned from my throat to my stomach in an instant, but it dispelled the fatigue of the days. I couldn't help smacking my lips: "It's powerful! Just a little less gentle."
"Gentle?" Mo Chen chuckled, his voice beneath the mask carrying an inexplicable emotion. "In the demon realm, gentleness is not needed."
He raised his head to drink, his Wolf tail cloak fluttered in the night wind, and his back looked strangely lonely. I looked at him, and a strange emotion rose in my heart --
Perhaps the demon world is not as cold-blooded as I imagined; Perhaps I and this deputy leader of the demon cultivation could still be - friends?
The night wind was howling, but it could not extinguish the light in the corridor, nor could it blow away the thought that was quietly rising in my heart --
The demon realm doesn't seem to be that bad after all.