Two ghastly pale hands tore through the air,
heading straight toward Gu Rong, Ning Fengzhi, Feng Bailong, and Yu Yuanzhen.
What was strange was—
the demon shadows completely ignored Li Zhexian and Chen Xin.
Chen Xin's fingers trembled with sword qi,
Seven Kill Sword intent rising like a tidal wave—
but Li Zhexian suddenly shouted:
"Senior Chen Xin, wait!"
His eyes swept sharply across the scene.
He saw Gu Rong's bone dragon roaring behind him, Feng Bailong's sword howl surging like a tide, and Yu Yuanzhen's thunder crashing forth. The three were about to fight thescythe-bearing shadow demon in a bloody battle!
Li Zhexian's thoughts spun rapidly—
his gaze sharp as a blade:
"Why are they ignoring me and Senior Chen Xin?"
"That means entering the houses is the correct way to survive!"
"But why are Sect Master Ning and the others still being attacked?"
"We're all in the same courtyard—what's the difference?!"
The pale hands descended like collapsing heavens,
stones and dust exploding across the small courtyard,
the two shabby mud houses trembling violently.
In a flash—
Li Zhexian's eyes widened, a spark of realization exploding in his mind.
He shouted:
"This house only allows two people to stay!"
"Sect Master Ning, Senior Gu Rong, Senior Feng Bailong, Senior Yu Yuanzhen—leave this yard! Find another house!"
"One courtyard with multiple rooms means multiple chances for survival!"
As soon as the words left his mouth—
he and Chen Xin met eyes—
and both launched upward simultaneously, sword light blazing, slashing fiercely against the descending pale hands.
BOOM!!!
Swords and claws collided, Spirit Power erupting—
and in that moment of forced stalemate,
Ning Fengzhi and the others moved without hesitation.
They shot out of the courtyard, separating into pairs,
each diving into the neighboring courtyards.
Dark purple blood rained down.
Chen Xin staggered back over ten steps, cracks splintering beneath his feet.
Li Zhexian was smashed directly into the ground.
Dust billowed.
He burst out again, drenched in blood, coughing violently.
His rank simply couldn't withstand a direct clash with a level-97 Titled Douluo-class monster.
"Zhexian!" Chen Xin flashed to his side.
"Don't worry, Senior Chen Xin. I'm fine." Li Zhexian wiped the blood from his lips.
Under his skin, four-colored spiritual light shimmered—
his wounds healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Sect Master Ning, Senior Feng Bailong—"
Just then, the door of the opposite house opened,
revealing Feng Bailong and Yu Yuanzhen unharmed.
Across the wall, Ning Fengzhi's calm voice came:
"We are all safe."
...
Out in the street—
The two scythe-bearing demon shadows paced anxiously outside the three courtyards.
Finally, with an unwilling screech—
They turned and swept away into the depths of the city.
"They're gone…"
Across the street, the group called out to one another.
"If not for young friend Zhexian's quick thinking,
we might have fought ourselves into exhaustion,"
Feng Bailong sighed.
"And the outcome would've been uncertain at best."
Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi both nodded.
Finding the secret of the houses was one thing—
but being able to deduce it while fleeing for their lives
was another matter entirely.
Li Zhexian showed no pride.
His gaze swept the weed-filled courtyard,
his voice tense.
"What worries me now…"
From next door, Ning Fengzhi spoke:
"Zhexian, you worry there is another danger inside the houses?"
Just as Li Zhexian was about to answer—
his pupils shrank sharply.
Across the street—
in Feng Bailong and Yu Yuanzhen's courtyard—
two death-wreathed silhouettes were silently forming out of the darkness.
"Senior Feng Bailong! Senior Yu Yuanzhen!"
"Wind Sword! Old Dragon!"
Li Zhexian and Chen Xin shouted at the same time—
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Three courtyard doors suddenly slammed shut—
cutting off all sight and sound.
At the instant the doors closed—
Li Zhexian and Chen Xin didn't hesitate.
They spun and slashed backward—
WHOOSH—
WHOOSH—
Their sword strikes hit nothing.
They retreated several meters, eyes fixed on the entrances of their own two houses.
Darkness churned.
Evil qi seeped out like the jaws of hell cracking open.
Two figures stepped from the roiling black mist—
their bodies reeking of decay.
The two figures had dark, lifeless expressions, strange purple markings crawling across their faces.
Their movements were stiff—like puppets.
Chen Xin narrowed his eyes and said slowly:
"Sha Xianhou… Lü Buyang.
So it's you two."
The two turned their necks rigidly, their cloudy eyes locking onto Chen Xin.
"Sword Dao Chen Xin…"
"It has been more than ten years. I trust you've been well?"
Li Zhexian felt the terrifying deathly qi surrounding them and his heart trembled.
Chen Xin's next words confirmed his suspicion:
"Sha Xianhou, Lü Buyang…"
"Former Platinum Bishops of the Spirit Hall. Fallen in Spirit Year 673."
A chilling chuckle echoed—
"Kekeke… Surprising you remember—"
Before the words finished—
Seven Kill Sword tore forward.
A blood-red arc lit the darkness of the dead city.
The two figures were cleaved cleanly in half, their bodies crumbling like dried stone, fading away bit by bit.
Chen Xin sheathed his sword, voice cold as iron:
"In life, you were no more than grass beneath my blade.
In death, you are still nothing but a single strike."
Bang—
Bang—
The neighboring courtyards opened their doors.
Gu Rong and Yu Yuanzhen's shocked voices sounded:
"These houses were occupied by the deceased members of Spirit Hall!"
"The dead returned…"
"What kind of monstrous, cursed city is this?!"
Though the undead were easily destroyed,
the group felt a weight like a mountain pressing on their hearts.
This ruined city—
its houses numbered in the thousands.
If every single one sheltered a fallen Spirit Hall powerhouse…
If an undead army emerged—who could resist?
If Bibi Dong enslaved such an army—
who on the continent could stand against her?
Li Zhexian tightened his grip on the Qinglian Sword.
He knew what the seniors were thinking—
because in the original story…
their fears did come true.
During the final battle at Jialing Pass,
Bibi Dong truly summoned the undead army—
nearly overturning the entire war, staining the land in blood.
"The two black-robed men from the Sacred Dragon Sect…"
A cold light flashed in Li Zhexian's eyes.
"I finally know who they are."
...
Outside the secret realm.
After Li Zhexian and the others entered the houses,
the light screen lost sight of them entirely.
It showed only scenes of the demon shadows hunting down other experts.
Just when things grew most intense—
the image cut out.
The crowd grew restless.
Dugu Bo rose atop the serpent's head,
his green-and-crimson robes billowing,
toxic mist swirling like a storm.
"What is Li Zhexian's situation?!"
His cold voice rolled across all of Spirit City.
"Bibi Dong! Do you truly think this old man won't flood Spirit City with poison?!"
"Even if the Worship Hall emerges,
I'll drag half the city down with me!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei floated into the air,
blocking Dugu Bo.
The atmosphere bristled with killing intent.
Bibi Dong opened her lips—
but her expression suddenly changed.
Not just hers—
Yue Guan, Gui Mei, Dugu Bo—
and every Spirit Master in the city—
all stared in shock.
On the peak of the divine mountain—
A gray-robed, golden-haired figure flashed.
A sword thousands of meters long—radiant as a falling star—descended from the heavens.
Above Spirit City, all poison mist vanished in an instant.
The sky split open,
a colossal sword mark carving through the heavens.
The Angel God Sword slashed toward the light screen spanning the sky.
"Thank you, Grandfather…"
Qian Renxue unfurled her angel wings,
following close behind the descending divine sword.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—
CRACK—
Thunderous explosions shook Spirit City.
The light screen split open—
a rift torn through it by the divine sword.
Dark purple Spirit Power surged outward like a rising sea.
Qian Renxue became a streak of golden light—
And plunged into the rift.