Volume One: Kingdom of the Long Night - Chapter Fifty-Three: Manifesting Sanctity Before Mortals (Part I)

On the battlements of Hun City, Xie Wuxing gripped his sword tightly.

Though the battle cries of the Black Flame Army, the roars of the demons, and the piercing sounds of cultivators' flying swords tearing through the air came in an endless stream, he could more clearly feel a dull, thunder-drum-like thudding.

The sound originated from that towering "mountain."

It was the heartbeat of a great demon.

He glanced slightly to the side and noticed that the man surnamed Xiao had appeared on the ramparts at some unknown time.

"The main gates of Hun City are bound to be difficult to hold. Your martial contests were designated for the streets within the city; I honestly thought you wouldn't come here."

The man surnamed Xiao said indifferently, "With demons besieging the city, why would they only attack from the main gate? The streets are merely divided zones; the Southern and Eastern cities belong to Jiang Wang, while the Western and Northern main gates naturally belong to me."

Xie Wuxing wore a peculiar expression.

The demons before the main gates were naturally the most numerous. Outside the Western city wall lay a vast expanse of woods, outside the Eastern wall were piled mountain rocks, and outside the Southern wall stood sheer cliffs. The area belonging to the man surnamed Xiao was a swirling chaos of myriad demons, while Jiang Wang's sector was likely so desolate one could catch sparrows at his gate.

At that moment, a dull, droning hum suddenly rang out.

The winyu demons arrayed before the city froze for a split second, then scattered in all directions.

"What is happening?"

The immortal seekers all furrowed their brows.

Xie Wuxing said in a deep voice, "The great demon has made its move."

That "mountain" trembled, and then it unfurled, resembling two massive, dark clouds. With a gentle flap, a gale-force wind swept toward Hun City.

Steeds neighed, the Black Flame Army was scattered into disarray, cultivators' flying swords plummeted directly to the earth, and martial artists rolled across the ground or were even hoisted into the air by the fierce gale, crashing heavily against the city walls.

"Are those... the demon's wings?!"

The unfurled demon wings spanned fully twenty zhang in length.

The immortal seekers urged their flying swords forward, slashing together toward the beast.

Yet their flying swords were utterly incapable of inflicting the slightest scratch upon the demon.

"It is a Snow-Bath realm great demon!"

The immortal seekers, whose highest cultivation reached merely the peak of the Cave-Mystery realm, were filled with stark terror.

In all their lives, they had never encountered a Snow-Bath realm great demon!

Xie Wuxing's hand holding his sword was trembling as well.

Not to mention ordinary Kutan cultivators, even within the Sword Pavilion, only two or three individuals could contend with a great demon of this caliber. Throughout the entire land of Kutan, the sole cultivator capable of effortlessly slaying a Snow-Bath realm great demon was the Sword God himself.

He looked toward the man surnamed Xiao, whose expression had remained entirely unchanged from the very beginning.

Although it was merely a guess, judging by the current situation, could the man surnamed Xiao truly be a grand cultivator of the Snow-Bath realm?

The mountain-like great demon lifted its head. It bore a striking resemblance to a moth, yet lacked antennae, possessing instead two razor-sharp fangs. Four black, rope-like tails whipped through the air, each appearing to be roughly ten zhang in length.

Its white eyes, patterned with grey markings, were fixed in an unblinking stare upon the man surnamed Xiao atop the battlements.

Clearly, it understood all too well that this man posed the greatest threat.

Xie Wuxing said, "That great demon is looking at me. Well, of course—though my cultivation is not yet strong enough, I excel in having sword Qi that strikes awe."

The man surnamed Xiao glanced at him sideways, then drew the sword from his back, stepped off the ramparts, and floated up into the air.

Shu Ni and Ning Shisi climbed back onto the battlements and looked toward the figure gliding through the air to approach the great demon. The latter asked in astonishment, "What is that man trying to do?"

Xie Wuxing frowned and said, "The Sword Pavilion dedicates its entire life to subduing demons and eradicating devils. Countless disciples have lost their lives to this cause. Even knowing they cannot win, they must still press forward. Only then can they remain worthy of the Sword Pavilion's name."

Having replied seemingly off-topic, he too leaped into the air and followed.

Shu Ni remarked, "That great demon is clearly beyond anything we can handle. How can he be trying to act brave at a time like this? Do all men love putting on such an act?"

Ning Shisi stated righteously, "As the saying goes, heads may roll and blood may flow, but one's pride must never be lost. Calling it 'putting on an act' is far too vulgar."

Shu Ni looked at him and said, "You would want to put on an act too, if you had the strength for it."

Ning Shisi instantly wilted and sighed, "Across all of Hun City, aside from Mister Jiang, currently only Xie Wuxing possesses the deepest cultivation. With our strength, even if we wanted to help, we would likely only be a burden."

Shu Ni looked toward the immortal seekers. "They are all cultivators at the peak of the Cave-Mystery realm, yet every single one of them is trembling like chaff in a sieve. If they could unite as one and exhaust all their skills, it is not certain they would lose to the demon. As expected, those who emerge from minor sects are all mediocre mediocrities."

Ning Shisi retorted, "You cannot put it quite like that. The gap between the Cave-Mystery realm and the Snow-Bath realm is like an unbridgeable chasm. No matter how many peak Cave-Mystery cultivators there are, they are no match for a Snow-Bath realm great demon. Facing a situation known to be certain death, it is normal for them to feel terror. Are we not the same?"

Yet their cultivation was even lower, rendering them truly incapable of helping, though the fear was mutual.

Shu Ni hesitated for a moment, then flew away toward the city.

Knowing what she intended to do, Ning Shisi did not follow, but instead gazed with a solemn expression at the scene outside the city.

...

In the Southern section of Qixia Street.

Jiang Wang stood holding his saber, bathed in the fine drizzle.

"Although my physique was exceptionally robust when I manifested my divine kingdom, perhaps out of habit, without a rattan chair to recline in, I always feel utterly exhausted."

He thought to himself in his heart.

The Night Wandering God remained perched atop Jiang Wang's head. "You get used to being frail after a while. Even though you can pierce through mountain rocks and your physical body appears exceptionally strong, your mindset remains weak. Physical ailments are sometimes tied to one's mentality. If you keep thinking this way, you might actually become truly frail, and you're bound to end up without a son in the future."

Jiang Wang's face darkened.

He stomped viciously upon the Aoyin beast beneath his feet, eliciting a yelp from the creature.

The Night Wandering God said in a serious tone, "There are trees growing all over the mountain within the divine kingdom. Aside from lacking living souls, it is no different from the outside world."

Jiang Wang asked, "What is an immortal's divine kingdom like?"

The Night Wandering God replied, "Once you become an immortal, you will naturally know. You've only just started learning how to walk, why are you inquiring about so much?"

Seizing the moment, Jiang Wang stomped Aoyin to death with a single kick, raised his gaze, and saw Shu Ni's figure gliding swiftly through the air toward him.

"I figured you were still lounging about in the Marquis's estate. I can help guard this place. The great demon outside the city has already appeared, and though I am loath to admit it, if you do not make a move, I fear Hun City will be razed to the ground in an instant."

Jiang Wang's expression was grave.

According to the Night Wandering God, the monster outside the city was not necessarily the true mastermind behind this demon assault. The current situation could be described as quite severe.

He looked at Shu Ni and said, "I will find someone to accompany you."

Jiang Wang returned to the Marquis's estate, walked straight to the kitchen, and grabbed Kong Kong, who was still busy devouring a meal. "It is time for you to be of use."

Carried aloft by Jiang Wang, Kong Kong was still stuffing a chicken drumstick into her mouth until her feet touched the floor. Seeing Shu Ni before her, she cracked a wide smile.

Shu Ni frowned and asked, "Where did you kidnap this child from?"

Jiang Wang said, "Do not underestimate her. If a real fight breaks out, you might not necessarily win."

Upon hearing this, Shu Ni was naturally unconvinced.

Yet Jiang Wang had already turned around and walked away.

She looked at Kong Kong, who was happily gnawing on her chicken drumstick, and inexplicably felt a pang of hunger herself.

Noticing Shu Ni's gaze, Kong Kong immediately wore a look of intense vigilance, clutched her chicken drumstick protectively, scurried over to a corner of the wall, squatted down, and continued to feast with gusto.

Shu Ni: (￢_￢)

Outside Hun City.

The terrifying presence of the Snow-Bath realm great demon forced all the Cave-Mystery realm cultivators outside the city to drop to their knees, feeling as though a towering mountain were pressing down upon their backs.

Though the martial artists of the third and fourth realms managed to barely stay upright without collapsing, they possessed not a shred of retaliatory capability.

Rong Yulu pressed her hands against the top of the wall and looked toward Ning Shisi, who stood nearby. "Although the Exalted One has returned to the Martial God Shrine to seek reinforcements, it will be difficult for him to return in a short time. Facing a great demon of this magnitude, we cannot possibly resist. Rather than waiting here for death, shouldn't we flee?"

Ning Shisi frowned and said, "There are tens of thousands of citizens in Hun City. If we run away, it will inevitably result in a massacre."

He looked back toward the interior of Hun City and said in a deep voice, "Yet, if there truly is an immortal within Hun City..."

"We must find the immortal as quickly as possible. Perhaps that is our only chance of survival."

Rong Yulu held firm faith in immortals. "As long as there is an immortal in Hun City, they will surely appear. Legend has it that when immortals save the world, they will certainly not stand by and watch Hun City perish."

Seemingly reminded of something, Ning Shisi recalled that the legends of immortals saving the world actually originated from the City God, and a City God Temple stood just five miles east of Hun City.

At that moment, a suspicion arose in his mind: could the rumored descent of an immortal in Hun City actually be the second coming of the City God?

"We must make a trip to the City God Temple!"

The City God Temple was located five miles east of Hun City.

Ning Shisi and Rong Yulu stepped into the City God Hall.

The statue of the City God was lifelike—an elderly man with a black beard who appeared remarkably benevolent.

They stared fixedly at the divine statue.

Its eyes seemed to be staring right back at them as well.

Because the City God Festival was held annually, this was not their first time visiting the temple. Although the layout of Hun City's temple differed slightly from others, they were largely similar.

Yet this was the first time they felt as though the City God statue before them was alive.

It was a subtle, lingering sensation arising from deep within their hearts.

The City God Temple was exceptionally quiet.

A gentle breeze drifted into the hall.

...

The man surnamed Xiao and Xie Wuxing hovered in mid-air, gripping their swords.

Before them stood the monstrously massive demon, resembling a mountain.

Xie Wuxing asked in a deep voice, "Do you have any certainty of winning?"

The man surnamed Xiao replied, "This is indeed the first time I have encountered such a demon."

Xie Wuxing said, "I recall my teacher once mentioning it: shaped like a moth, possessing four tails, and capable of whipping up fierce winds by merely flapping its wings—its name is Wuhou."

"You are a disciple of the Sword God?" The white, lifeless eyes of the great demon Wuhou shifted toward Xie Wuxing. The sword Qi emanating from his body felt deeply familiar to it.

Wuhou's voice was dull and muffled, at times sounding like rolling thunder.

Xie Wuxing instinctively tightened his grip on his sword and said with a solemn tone, "Kutan is the territory of the Sword Pavilion. Knowing the name of the Sword God, yet still daring to lead a horde of demons to attack the city—you are truly audacious."

Wuhou let out a mocking laugh. "The Sword God indeed strikes terror into the hearts of all demons in Kutan. But the Sword God's gaze encompasses the entirety of Kutan. Not to mention that he is not currently in Hun City, even if he were truly here, what reason would I have to fear him?"

Xie Wuxing said in a stern voice, "Precisely because my teacher is not here, you can say whatever you please. But should any mishap befall Hun City, even if the demons hiding in Kutan are hard to track down, my teacher will certainly find you. You had better consider the consequences clearly. I advise you to withdraw immediately."

Wuhou fell silent for a moment, then rumbled, "Wenyu is the only demon in Kutan that does not fear the Sword God. Driven to madness as they are right now, it will likely be difficult to make them withdraw."

It gazed fixedly at Hun City. "Furthermore, the purpose of my coming here has not yet been fulfilled. The thought of killing the Sword God's disciple actually makes my heart race with excitement."