251: Chapter 251 Mountains, Desolate Village (Part 2)

The Luoxia Mountains stretched for hundreds of miles, resembling a gray Dragon dormant to the south of the capital.

The mountains were filled with towering ancient trees, their lush foliage blocking out the sky.

Even in broad daylight, the forest remained dark and deep, exuding an inescapable chill.

This place was shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, with treacherous terrain. Ordinary people dared not venture deep inside; only the herb pickers and hunters, who lived life on the edge, dared to linger on the fringes.

"Da, da, da."

The rapid sound of horse hooves came from the ancient road in the distance, shattering the long-standing silence of the mountains.

Dozens of riders burst out from the forest like a black torrent, galloping along the rugged mountain path.

As the hooves rose and fell, they kicked up large swathes of withered leaves and dust.

The birds and beasts inhabiting the forest were startled by the sudden commotion, flapping their wings or darting into deeper thickets in a panic.

This group of riders was uniformly dressed in black martial attire, with dark red cloud patterns embroidered on their lapels.

That was the standard uniform of the Demon-Slaying Squad.

Dozens of people galloped on horseback, yet no one spoke to each other; only the slight clashing of weapons as the horses jolted could be heard.

An Aura of iron-blooded slaughter silently gathered above the troop.

Chen Ran was among them, secretly observing his colleagues.

These elites of the Demon-Slaying Squad were completely different from the Constables of the Six Doors.

The people of the Six Doors were mostly tainted with the slickness of the marketplace and officialdom, while the people of the Demon-Slaying Squad were much purer.

They were all fierce soldiers who had fought against Yao Beasts for years and walked on the edge of life and death; both their Aura and strength far exceeded that of the Constables.

Today, Chen Ran had changed out of his official uniform as a Heavenly Prison warden and put on the black and red martial attire of the Demon-Slaying Squad.

The robe clung to his body, outlining his tall and upright figure. With the standard long saber hanging at his waist, he looked much sharper than usual.

He rode a jet-black steed, positioned at the front of the troop, following closely beside a white-haired young man.

Captain Xia An had a cold and stern expression, his gaze like lightning, staring straight ahead at the deep mountain path.

He radiated an oppressive feeling that kept people at a distance; just standing beside him made one feel unable to breathe properly.

Chen Ran calmly observed the surrounding terrain before withdrawing his gaze and looking at Captain Xia An beside him.

"Captain Xia An."

Chen Ran tightened the reins in his hand, slowing his horse down slightly to ride side-by-side with Captain Xia An.

"Is this area ahead where the Yao Beast is hiding?"

Captain Xia An heard this, turned his head slightly, and glanced at Chen Ran.

"Correct."

Captain Xia An withdrew his gaze, his voice low.

"This is already the heart of the Luoxia Mountains, where human tracks are rare. It is the exact place where Yao Beasts love to lie dormant."

He paused, casting his gaze forward again, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"A few days ago, scouts found traces of Demonic Qi left behind in this vicinity. We tracked it all the way here, but the trail went cold."

Chen Ran nodded slightly, assuming an attentive posture.

"What is the origin of that Yao Beast? Why does it require Captain Xia An to personally lead the team to exterminate it?"

One must know that if it were an ordinary Yao Beast, regular Demon-Slaying Squad members could handle it. But this time, the hunt was led personally by the Demon-Slaying Squad's General Captain, which was rare.

Captain Xia An was silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

"I don't know."

After a moment, he spat out two words, his tone carrying a rare gravity.

Chen Ran raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing a timely hint of surprise.

"You don't know?"

"I truly do not know."

Captain Xia An said coldly, "That Yao Beast's movements are extremely mysterious. Within half a month, it has slaughtered two villages outside the mountains."

"Two villages, totaling over three hundred people, were wiped out overnight, leaving no living thing behind."

Speaking of this, a flash of killing intent crossed Captain Xia An's eyes.

"The most troublesome part is that there was not a single survivor left at the scene, not even a complete corpse."

"All the villagers have vanished."

"Therefore, to this day, no one knows what that Yao Beast looks like or what species it is."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ran's expression became more serious.

Consuming essence and blood, slaughtering two villages in a row.

Such behavior was truly extremely cruel.

"To be able to do this and avoid the eyes and ears of the Demon-Slaying Squad scouts, it must have gained intelligence. The rank of this Yao Beast is definitely not low."

Captain Xia An stated firmly.

Chen Ran nodded in understanding.

Only a great Yao Beast with intelligence would know to hide itself and avoid direct conflict with the Demon-Slaying Squad.

No wonder the Demon-Slaying Squad was making such a big fuss, with even Captain Xia An, a Personal Disciple of the Chief, coming out in person.

Ordinary Yao Beasts were not worth such a display.

However, this was good news for Chen Ran.

The higher the rank of the Yao Beast, the more dangerous the depths of the Luoxia Mountains would be, and the rarer human tracks would be.

This was the perfect cover for his Breakthrough to the Innate Realm.

However, he still had to return to the Demon Sound Sect to retrieve all the Medicinal Pills. Combined with the cultivation he had accumulated, he only needed to find a quiet, uninhabited place to break through the barrier in one go.

Once he stepped into the Innate Realm, in this treacherous capital, he would truly have the capital to establish himself.

Thinking of this, Chen Ran's mind remained as calm as water.

Chen Ran collected his thoughts, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across the other side of Captain Xia An.

There was another rider there.

It was an exceptionally tall chestnut horse, remarkably majestic, its four hooves flying as it followed steadily beside Captain Xia An.

However, sitting on the horse's back was a figure that was extremely disproportionate to the tall horse.

It was a petite young girl.

Her long, soft pink hair danced in the wind, her face was youthful, her eyes curved, and she appeared to be in her early teens.

It was Junior Sister.

She had also changed into the martial attire of the Demon-Slaying Squad today, but the clothes looked a bit too large on her, making her appear even more petite.

What was most eye-catching was the sword she carried on her back.

It was an extremely exaggerated greatsword.

The blade was as wide as a door plank, jet black, and completely lusterless.

The length of the greatsword was even half a head taller than Junior Sister herself.

She carried the greatsword on her back just like that, her petite figure and the behemoth forming an extremely sharp contrast.

Looking at this scene, Chen Ran couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder once again.

Such a heavy greatsword would be difficult for an ordinary strong man to even lift, so how did this girl manage to carry it on her back and gallop on horseback so easily?

After traveling and interacting for this period, Chen Ran had gained a deeper understanding of this seemingly innocent and lively girl.

Junior Sister was not as young as she appeared on the surface.

She was actually already an adult, and her age was even a few years older than Chen Ran.

The reason she had maintained this childlike appearance and height was entirely due to a special Cultivation Technique she practiced.

That Cultivation Technique was extremely domineering; while granting her a Physical Body and strength far exceeding Martial Artists of the same rank, it also locked her bones and appearance, causing her to remain forever in her early teens.

Chen Ran recalled the faint, cold Aura he had sensed on Junior Sister when he used his Heavenly Net to investigate that day.

That was definitely not an energy that could be cultivated by ordinary Cultivation Techniques.

This lineage of the Demon-Slaying Squad Chief was truly full of oddities.

However, Chen Ran did not show any of this.

The troop continued to gallop along the mountain path.

As they ventured deeper, the mountains became steeper, and the road became rugged and difficult to traverse.

The sun gradually moved to the west.

The sky turned from the brightness of noon to the dim yellow of dusk.

In the depths of the Luoxia Mountains, mist began to spread.

The mist was not pure white, but carried a faint grayish color, lingering in the forest and refusing to dissipate.

The sunset's afterglow shone through the gaps in the branches and leaves, blocked by the gray mist, and turned into patches of mottled blood-colored light and shadow.

The surrounding air seemed to become colder and more oppressive as the sky dimmed.

Even the breathing of the horses became heavier.

Chen Ran keenly sensed that the surrounding forest was unusually quiet.

There was no birdsong, no insect chirping.

Even the rustling of the wind through the leaves seemed to have been swallowed by some invisible force.

It was incredibly quiet.

It was as if all vitality in this mountain forest had been drained by some unknown existence.

Just then, Junior Sister, who had been riding forward, suddenly made a move.

She pulled the reins sharply, and the chestnut horse beneath her let out a low whinny, its front hooves rising high as it came to a sudden halt.

"Whoa."

Captain Xia An reacted extremely quickly, pulling his horse to a stop at almost the same time.

The dozens of Demon-Slaying Squad members behind them were also well-trained, pulling their horses to a halt in unison without making any unnecessary noise.

Chen Ran also stopped and looked at Junior Sister with a calm gaze.

He saw that the playful expression usually on Junior Sister's youthful face was gone.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes closed, and her small nostrils flared a few times.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, turned her head, and looked at Captain Xia An.

"Senior Brother, there is a smell."

Captain Xia An's gaze sharpened, and he asked in a low voice, "What kind of smell?"

"Very faint."

Junior Sister sniffed again, her brows slightly furrowed.

"It's like the scent of blood, but mixed with a very foul, gamey odor... and a hint of rot."

She extended her fair, delicate hand and pointed toward the depths of the dense forest to the front right.

"It's drifting from over there."

Captain Xia An looked in the direction she pointed, a sharp, cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his right hand and made a gesture in mid-air.

"Clang."

A sound of weapons being drawn in unison suddenly rang out in the silent forest.

Dozens of Demon-Slaying Squad members, without a word of nonsense, drew their long sabers from their waists in unison, their expressions stern as they prepared for battle.

"Dismount."

Captain Xia An gave a low shout and was the first to dismount.

The forest ahead was dense, making it impossible for horses to pass, and it would easily expose their target.

Everyone dismounted and tethered their horses to the nearby sturdy tree trunks.

Chen Ran also dismounted, his palm resting naturally on the hilt of his saber, his True Qi circulating secretly within his body.

"Qingwu, lead the way."

Captain Xia An ordered in a low voice.

"Mm."

Junior Sister nodded and grasped the hilt of the greatsword on her back with her backhand.

Her petite figure moved through the forest, her movements as light as a swallow, without making a single sound.

Captain Xia An followed closely behind, while Chen Ran and the other Demon-Slaying Squad members fanned out and cautiously advanced.

The Lightwork Chen Ran used under his feet allowed him to land silently, moving through the forest like a ghost.

The deeper they went, the thicker the grayish mist became.

The faint, intermittent scent of blood and gamey odor in the air gradually became clearer.

Chen Ran quietly spread out his Heavenly Net.

His invisible Mental Energy spread outward like ripples, bringing everything within a radius of hundreds of zhang into his mind.

He then frowned, seeing that in his perception, there was no sign of any living creature in the surrounding area.

Not even a flying insect.

This forest seemed like a dead zone.

The group followed the scent for about half an incense stick's time through the dim forest.

The trees ahead finally began to thin out.

Junior Sister's footsteps came to a halt.

She crouched behind a bush, poking her head out to look ahead.

Captain Xia An and Chen Ran also approached silently.

Through the gaps in the bushes, Chen Ran's gaze pierced through the layers of gray mist.

At the end of his line of sight, a vague outline appeared.

It was the shadow of a village.

Under the blood-like setting sun of dusk, the village lay quietly dormant in the mountain valley.

There was no curling smoke from cooking fires, no barking of dogs or crowing of roosters.

Not even a single light was lit.

The entire village was deathly still.

It was like a huge tomb, hiding in the mist, unclear to see.

Chen Ran stroked his chin, muttering to himself:

"This place seems to have a problem..."

The surrounding area was dense mountain forest, with no environment suitable for human habitation, yet under such harsh conditions, a village had appeared out of thin air.

It was somewhat eerie.

At least from his perception, there wasn't a shadow of a living person in the entire village; there was likely a problem inside.

And it was unlikely that he was the only one who had discovered this problem. When Chen Ran turned his head,

he discovered that Captain Xia An had already activated his Innate pupil technique, his white hair floating upward, and a shimmering blue light emanating from his eyes.

It was as if a faint light had swept across all the scenery in front of him.

After a moment.

The Aura on Captain Xia An gradually extinguished, and he said in a low voice:

"Something is wrong inside. Prepare for battle."

"Yes!"

The surrounding Demon-Slaying Squad members spoke in unison, and then, following Captain Xia An's order, stepped out of the dense forest and walked toward the empty village.

The surface of the village showed no damage; houses built of earth, stone, and wood were nestled on both sides like mushrooms, with a wide dirt road in the middle.

Except for the lack of any living breath, the entire village looked exactly like an ordinary village on the surface.

The group moved slowly, and even after stepping into the village entrance, they saw nothing unusual.

The people around them relaxed their vigilance slightly and began to observe the surrounding environment.

Chen Ran did the same, his gaze sweeping across the village, and he asked casually:

"Captain Xia An, is this village the one that went missing in the intelligence report?"

Captain Xia An looked around, and seeing nothing unusual, said slowly:

"It probably isn't. Although it looks a bit similar, according to records, the last village that disappeared was called Little Stone Village, and that village was built entirely of stone houses."

"Rather than calling this Little Stone Village, it's more like a brand-new village."

Speaking of this, Captain Xia An's face also darkened.

If his guess was correct, this proved that this was already the third case committed by that Yao Beast.