Strikes after strikes were unleashed by Hun Yao, while the elite guards fought desperately to protect the pharmacy. The battle dragged on as more parasites kept crawling out from behind the buildings. Hun Yao was starting to run out of strength.
Some parasites that had already fallen began regenerating… their torn flesh knitting back together. Hun Yao and Shen Xue grew increasingly worried—could they really win?
"Hun Yao… stay here. I'll retrieve the artifact from the upper room."
Without hesitation, Hun Yao nodded and held the parasites back together with the elite guards.
Far to the east of the Xiao Kingdom… deep within the dense forest, someone held an artifact in his hand. He resurrected the corpses of monsters he had slain earlier. The revived creatures stood, emotionless, obeying only him.
"Go… destroy the Xiao Kingdom."
The monsters ran wildly toward Xiao.
Back at the pharmacy… Hun Yao was already exhausted. He muttered between ragged breaths, "What exactly is Shen Xue looking for…?"
The number of parasites began to decrease. Until…
A final crash echoed through the narrow hallway beside the pharmacy.
The last giant parasite collapsed, the impact like a boulder dropped from the sky. Greenish-black fluid leaked from the wound on its back, sizzling as it touched the sacred ground infused with medical Qi.
Hun Yao and the elite guards cheered at their victory.
"We… we did it! We defeated all the parasites!"
Shen Xue finally appeared, holding the Silver Ring Artifact.
Hun Yao looked at her with a smile. "We've beaten them."
Shen Xue sighed. "Seems I arrived a bit late," she smiled back. "Looks like this won't be needed anymore."
The ring shimmered—an emerald gem at its center, and a Vermilion symbol etched beside it.
Hun Yao lowered his arm. A thin wound on his left shoulder slowly closed as Qi circulated within his body. The elite guards spread out, ensuring no enemies remained.
"Check inside the pharmacy," Hun Yao ordered.
They entered through the narrow wooden corridor. The scent of herbs mixed with parasite blood filled the air. In the main room, Xiao Cao lay on a bed, her breathing calmer. The pallor on her face had faded, and the chaotic Qi within her body had settled.
Shen Xue touched her wrist and closed her eyes. She let out a faint smile.
"Her wounds have closed. She'll need a few more days of rest, but the worst has passed."
Hun Yao nodded and sat beside her, watching the young girl with gentle but alert eyes. Outside, guards changing shifts could be heard, and for a moment… a peaceful silence returned to the pharmacy.
But only for a moment.
BOOM!
The ground shook.
Not from the west.
But from… the east.
The guards looked at each other. Hun Yao stood. Shen Xue frowned.
"What's happening?" Hun Yao asked anxiously.
Shen Xue stared toward the eastern region of the Xiao Kingdom. "An explosion… in a residential area…"
An elite guard rushed in with an emergency scroll, panting heavily.
"A new attack! From the east side of the city! A horde of level-two to level-three monsters has emerged from the forest! They've broken through the fortress and defeated the soldiers there. We need as many elite guards as possible!"
Shen Xue snatched a map and opened it quickly.
"The east is only protected by two small formations and a squad of rookie cultivators. They won't last long against a horde like that!"
Hun Yao nodded sharply. "We're heading there."
He looked at Shen Xue, then at Xiao Cao.
"Watch her. Don't let anyone near the pharmacy."
Shen Xue hesitated. "You're going alone? Take this then." She handed him the Silver Ring Artifact.
Hun Yao nodded. "Thank you. I'll take four elite guards with me. That should buy enough time until reinforcements arrive."
Without waiting, Hun Yao dashed out with the four guards. The city streets were chaotic. Smoke rose in the distance. Screams echoed. Small explosions. Shadows darted along rooftops. A dark Qi tainted the air.
Out of the corner of his eye, Hun Yao saw a three-eyed monster climbing a wall, shrieking.
"A level-four monster… and it's already inside the city."
They leaped across rooftops toward the east. From afar, he saw ruins and fire in what used to be a busy market. Rookie cultivators were struggling with thin shields, collapsing one by one. City guards thrust ordinary spears that failed to pierce the armored hides of underground beasts.
Hun Yao slipped the artifact onto his finger.
"I won't let you touch the civilians."
With a long leap, he landed on the eastern main road. The monsters stopped.
Footsteps halted.
Red eyes stared at him.
Hun Yao raised his hand and poured Qi into the artifact.
A primordial spirit avatar descended from the sky—four arms, two swords, its body only half-formed with no legs, standing tall behind Hun Yao.
"A good artifact… but this will consume plenty of Qi."
Thunder rumbled as if calamity itself descended. The avatar pointed its swords forward and unleashed its technique.
"Heavenly Thunder Slash!"
The air split apart.
With one swing, five level-two monsters exploded into fragments.
The guards gasped.
"What just happened?!"
One guard shouted, "With this, we can win the eastern battle!"
Far away… deep in the forest, three cloaked figures watched.
Hun Yao continued unleashing techniques. The sky darkened—not because of night, but due to lingering dark Qi clouds and roaring thunder. The spirit avatar emitted lightning and heavenly flames, shaking the earth. Hun Yao moved alongside it, like a shadow bound to its master.
"Twin Slashes—Darkness Breaker!"
A burst of light. A level-three monster exploded. Two level-two beasts approaching from the sides lost their heads instantly.
Hun Yao jumped to a collapsing rooftop. Below him, dozens of beetle-armored monsters surged forward. He raised his hand again. The avatar responded.
"Spiral Slash—Soul Sever!"
A deafening boom. A vortex of energy tore through the alley, hurling monsters into walls and shattering bones.
But the more they fell… the more came.
Hun Yao exhaled heavily. His body was covered in cuts. Qi surged, but erratically.
The avatar's movements slowed.
The artifact was reaching its limit…
"I must finish this…" he growled.
He dodged a three-eyed monster and sliced its head clean off. The avatar split two giant monsters with a heavenly arc—
Then suddenly… the avatar flickered.
The emerald gem dimmed. The Vermilion symbol cracked.
"Is this… the end?" Hun Yao whispered.
A sharp Qi snap echoed.
The avatar roared one last time—before shattering into light.
The ring cracked and lost all power.
Hun Yao staggered. Blood poured from his nose and ears. Pain stabbed his skull like needles. His vision blurred.
"Aaargh!"
He knelt, vomiting blood. Qi raged wildly inside him.
"The side effect… I stayed merged with the spirit too long…"
Dozens of monsters remained. Some retreated. Many advanced.
No artifact. No spirit.
Only Hun Yao.
And his blade.
"Then… we do this the old-fashioned way."
He stood slowly. Determination unshaken.
"As long as I'm breathing… none of you will pass."
A steel-skinned ape lunged. Hun Yao dodged and pierced its jaw, tearing through. He spun, slashing three smaller monsters apart. Blood sprayed.
One by one, they fell.
One by one, Hun Yao's breaths grew heavy.
The ground darkened with blood. Fires burned nearby. Finally… only a dozen monsters remained.
Hun Yao stood trembling but grinning. Blood dripped from his lips.
"Come… you're the last ones."
With one final cry, he leapt.
A slash. Another. Another.
Kick. Knee strike. Horizontal sweep.
And finally… the last monster hit the ground.
Silence.
Hun Yao collapsed to his knees, unable to stand. The silver ring shattered.
Far in the forest, the three figures exchanged glances. One scoffed.
Their silhouettes vanished.
In the city… Hun Yao still lived. Relieved, he let his eyes close as the guards rushed to him.
One guard shook him. "Hey! Are you okay?!"
Hun Yao closed his eyes, pretending to faint so he could rest.
But above… the three figures reappeared—not fleeing, but descending into the battlefield.
The elite guards and rookie cultivators stared as they hovered in the air.
They wore black robes, hiding their bodies. One lifted his hand. The artifact in his grasp spun—a black crystal sphere bound by chains, rotating violently.
The clouds twisted into a spiral above them. Lightning was drawn toward the artifact. Wind roared.
The guards and cultivators panicked.
Hun Yao sensed it and forced his eyes open. A catastrophic force emerged from the trio. He stood.
The guard beside him gasped. "Y–you're alive?!"
"Of course. What just happened?" Hun Yao asked, serious.
"After we cheered, those three appeared in the sky and activated an artifact… causing all this!"
The winds grew violent.
Civilians nearby were nearly swept away.
Hun Yao shouted to the guards and cultivators, "Evacuate the civilians! Fall back for now!"
The elites nodded and rushed the people to safety.
Meanwhile, on the throne of the Xiao Kingdom, the ruler—the Emperor—murmured,
"So… the vengeance has begun…"
He smiled thinly and pointed to one of his subordinates.
"Go, Xiao Du. This is your first mission."
Xiao Du knelt. "At your command, Your Majesty."