207: Chapter 207 The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons

After Tamamo-no-Mae dissipated, the center of the island did not quiet down immediately.

The flowering trees that had been burned by the Fox-fire were still slowly shedding ashes.

The fragrance in the air had faded a lot, but a hint of it still lingered.

Just as Lu Cheng was about to turn and leave, Snow Spirit suddenly poked her head out from his shoulder.

"Papa."

"There's something over there."

Lu Cheng paused and looked in the direction Snow Spirit was pointing.

Where Tamamo-no-Mae had finally shattered, a stone lay quietly on the ground.

The stone was only the size of a fist, pale gold all over, with fine fox-like patterns on its surface.

Inside the stone, a tiny spark of fire seemed to be flowing slowly.

Xu Xinglan looked down at her terminal.

[Special Item: tamamo-no-maes demon heart]

Lu Cheng thought about it and put it directly into his System Space. According to what that shrine maiden had said, this thing would definitely be useful later.

Jinguji Ayane watched Lu Cheng put away tamamo-no-maes demon heart but said nothing.

Another tremor came from the sea in the distance.

Everyone looked up.

The mist on the surface of another island was dispersing.

That island was higher than the Flower Forest Island where Tamamo-no-Mae had been. The terrain on the island was steep, and the mountaintop was weighed down by dark clouds.

After the mist cleared, a large number of broken stone pillars and torii-like ruins could be seen.

Black feathers were also drifting down from the sky.

Jinguji Ayane's expression changed slightly.

"Over there is the Daitengu."

Lu Cheng looked toward that island.

"Let's go take a look."

A newly formed bridge spanned the sea.

The group did not linger and immediately advanced along the bridge.

The water level had risen a bit more.

The seawater beneath the bridge was already slapping against the bottom of the structure.

With every wave that crashed up, the bridge's surface would vibrate gently.

Lu Cheng glanced down.

The color of the seawater was even darker than before.

The icy sensation was also more pronounced.

A few minutes later, they stepped onto that island.

As soon as they entered the island's perimeter, a freezing wind blew down from the mountaintop.

The ground was covered in signs of battle.

Shattered rocks, broken feathers, and ice marks.

There were also charred, blackened marks from burning.

The Nordic Team was just ahead.

However, their condition was even worse than everyone had imagined.

Several Nordic Team members leaned against the stone wall, the platinum-gold light armor on their bodies almost entirely shattered.

Some had their shoulders pierced, some had their arms hanging limply, and others knelt on the ground with hollow eyes, as if they had just broken free from some extreme mental suppression.

They didn't look merely injured; it was more like a portion of their emotions had been drained away.

At the very front, Reinhardt stood there.

His state was exceptionally off...

His originally pale-blonde hair had turned completely white, and a crescent moon mark extended from his forehead all the way to his cheek...

In front of him lay a massive corpse.

It was a monster that was almost humanoid.

It had a pair of tattered black wings on its back, with feathers thrust into the ground like iron shards.

Its head was hideous, its nose bridge high, and fangs were exposed at the corners of its mouth.

It wore a tattered yamabushi outfit, and its hand still gripped half of a broken feather fan.

Even in death, the corpse still exuded a powerful pressure.

The terminal popped up residual information.

[Hidden Target: Sutoku Great Tengu]

[Status: Slain]

In the distance, on the central broken bridge, a pitch-black Bridge Nail had already pinned down the fourth fractured section.

It seemed the Nordic Team had indeed cleared this island, but at a heavy cost.

As soon as Lu Cheng and the others approached, several members of the Nordic Team looked up almost simultaneously.

At that instant, the Source Power in their bodies went completely wild.

Several severely injured members subconsciously assumed combat stances.

Reinhardt went as far as to directly raise his silver bow.

On the bowstring, a pale moonlight rapidly condensed.

There was no killing intent.

Or rather, his current killing intent no longer carried any emotion.

It was more like a sort of instinctive reaction.

Heavenly King Lin immediately took a step forward.

"Hey!"

"Look closely!"

Paper talismans flew up behind Jinguji Ayane.

Reinhardt's state was indeed very bad.

It was as if he had surrendered a portion of his consciousness to some higher power.

Which was why he had reacted so aggressively the moment he sensed an unfamiliar aura just now.

But soon, the pale moonlight in Reinhardt's eyes flickered.

His gaze landed on Lu Cheng.

He paused for two seconds.

The light on the bowstring slowly faded.

Reinhardt closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, those eyes finally recovered a bit of human light.

"It's you?"

His voice was somewhat raspy.

"You were quite fast."

Lu Cheng glanced at the Daitengu's corpse on the ground, then looked at him.

"You were pretty fast too."

Reinhardt's lips twitched as if he wanted to smile, but he couldn't manage it.

"The cost wasn't small."

He raised a hand to press his forehead.

The crescent moon divine sigil slowly dimmed.

Behind him, several Nordic Team members also gradually recovered from that hollow state.

Some gasped heavily.

Some collapsed directly onto the ground.

Reinhardt looked at Jinguji Ayane.

"So, Sakura Island's shrine maiden."

"Can you tell me what's going on here?"

His tone wasn't heavy, but his eyes were very sharp.

As a mythological Legacy successor, he naturally knew that this monster belonged to the Sakura Island mythological system.

And now, the Sakura Island shrine maiden was standing together with the Dragon Kingdom Team.

No matter how one looked at it, it didn't seem like a coincidence.

Jinguji Ayane watched him quietly.

After a moment, she smiled faintly.

"It's just a hidden ruin."

"Nothing to be surprised about."

"You should have seen plenty of ruins like this."

Reinhardt looked at her.

"Do you think I'll believe that?"

Jinguji Ayane thought about it seriously.

"No."

Reinhardt: "..."

At least she was honest.

The atmosphere turned slightly awkward.

Jinguji Ayane did not continue explaining to Reinhardt.

She turned her head to look at Lu Cheng.

"Since this side has been resolved, Brother Lu, let's go."

With that, she gave Lu Cheng a very subtle look.

Lu Cheng's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at Reinhardt, then at Jinguji Ayane.

Reinhardt saw that look too.

He didn't stop them.

He just stood there calmly.

Lu Cheng finally nodded.

"Let's go."

The Dragon Kingdom Team members immediately followed.

Jinguji Ayane also left with the Sakura Island Team.

Neither side said anything more.

Xu Xinglan looked at Jinguji Ayane.

"Where are you trying to take us?"

Jinguji Ayane did not look back.

"To find a place that is sufficiently hidden and safe."

The group headed down the mountain path and soon entered a secluded cave on the side of the island.

The cave wasn't very large.

The entrance was narrow, but inside was a relatively wide stone hall.

There were no other passages in the back.

The terrain was also slightly higher than the outside.

If it was just for defense, this was indeed an excellent location.

Jinguji Ayane stopped her pace.

"Here."

Lu Cheng looked at her.

"Can you tell me what's going on now?"

Jinguji Ayane shook her head.

"We need to start deploying defenses immediately."

"I will explain the rest to you later."

Jiang Xuance couldn't help but say:

"What you're saying sounds a lot like a prelude to setting us up."

Jinguji Ayane said earnestly:

"I won't set you up."

"If we don't defend, it will become very troublesome in a little while."

Several people all looked at Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng thought about it.

Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Bad Luck did not indicate any danger, so he nodded.

"Let's do as she says for now."

Xu Xinglan immediately went into action.

She walked to the center of the cave, squatted down, and placed the Source Array Ring on the ground.

Pale blue array patterns rapidly spread out in all directions.

"Heavenly King Lin, Ye Beihan, go to both sides of the entrance."

"Use stones and ice layers to channel Source Qi, connect to the array core, and make the first barrier."

"Gu Changqing, there are three weak points on the cave ceiling. Use your Sword Qi to carve diversion channels."

"Tang Zhiwei, can you spread your poison at the cave entrance?"

Tang Zhiwei opened her medicine box and said with a smile:

"Of course."

She then looked at Jinguji Ayane.

"Your people will be responsible for the Paper Talisman Barrier."

Jinguji Ayane did not object.

"Alright."

Lu Cheng watched Xu Xinglan command everyone and didn't interfere.

In this aspect, Xu Xinglan was indeed professional.

Within an hour, the entire cave had completely transformed.

The entrance was reinforced by Heavenly King Lin and Ye Beihan working together.

The outer layer was a barrier stacked with rubble, the middle layer was an ice wall sealed by Profound Frost, and the inner layer consisted of the Source Array nodes carved by Xu Xinglan.

Fine sword scars were slashed into the cave ceiling by Gu Changqing; if any flying monsters rushed in, the sword scars would work in tandem with the Source Array to unleash a slashing storm.

Tang Zhiwei laid down colorless poison powder outside the cave entrance.

Jinguji Ayane and the Sakura Island Team members used paper talismans to lay out a three-layered barrier.

At the innermost part, Xu Xinglan set up another array center to stabilize the Source Power cycle.

Lu Cheng tried to sense it.

This defense was indeed strong. In addition to the basic setup, everyone could use Source Power to reinforce the barrier.

Even if he exerted his full strength, he might not necessarily be able to break through it in a short time.

He couldn't help but look at Xu Xinglan.

"You're pretty good at this."

Xu Xinglan said flatly:

"Thank you."

"But next time, don't only think of me when you need to set up an array."

Lu Cheng looked at Jinguji Ayane.

"Can you tell us why now?"

Jinguji Ayane stood at the cave entrance, looking out at the increasingly dark sky.

She shook her head.

"Very soon."

Heavenly King Lin frowned.

"Why do you always speak in half-sentences?"

Jinguji Ayane explained seriously:

"Because if I say it too early, you might not believe me."

Heavenly King Lin: "..."

After another moment passed.

A massive tremor suddenly echoed from the distance.

Boom!

The entire Wanhai Archipelago shook.

Debris fell from the top of the cave, blocked by Xu Xinglan's Source Array.

Everyone immediately looked up.

Jinguji Ayane frowned slightly and spoke...

"The last island has been breached."

On the map, the mist on the fifth main island was dispersing.

A wine-red Bridge Nail flew out from the distance, pinning toward the central broken bridge.

Clang!

The fifth Bridge Nail fell.

The fragments of the floating bridge were all pinned down.

At that instant, the entire sea area fell silent for a breath.

Then...

The sky turned black...

The water surface, which was originally somewhat clear, rapidly became turbid.

Turning from bluish-black to grayish-yellow.

It was as if a large amount of silt was being stirred up underwater.

But everyone knew that it wasn't silt.

Because shadows began to appear underwater.

Many shadows.

Densely packed.

From the direction of those small islands in the distance, dark figures crawled out of the water one after another.

Some looked like fish with human faces.

Some looked like spiders assembled from severed hands.

Some wore tattered armor and dragged rusted blades.

Some had no heads, but a mouth grew on their chests.

Some had wet feathers on their backs, gliding low over the water surface.

There were also smaller things squeezing out from the crevices of the reefs, crawling toward the five main islands in swarms.

Seas, under bridges, reefs, woodlands, hillsides—monsters began to appear everywhere.

It was as if they had been awakened by something, or as if they had been waiting in this sea all along.

Now that the floating bridge was complete, they finally had a target.

The five main islands.

All the bridges.

And the competitors on the islands.

Outside the cave, the Red-Armored Zheng gave a low growl.

Jiang Xuance's expression changed.

"They're here."

Xu Xinglan looked at the map, her expression also darkening.

On the map, a massive swath of red dots was rapidly approaching.

There was no precise count.

Because the number was too great, the terminal could no longer mark them individually.

Jinguji Ayane spoke slowly:

"Now you can know."

Everyone looked at her.

She stood at the cave entrance, the paper talismans behind her rustling loudly in the yin wind.

Her face was very pale, but her eyes were very clear.

"For the next three hours."

"Everything in the entire Wanhai Archipelago that has been soaked in Yellow Springs water... nurtured by resentment, and abandoned by the gods will wake up."

"They will continuously rush toward the five main islands along the bridges, coastlines, and mountain paths."

She paused.

In the darkness outside, the first batch of monsters had already crashed into the outer layer of the Source Array.

Bang!

Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sounds of impact grew denser and denser.

Like raindrops hitting sheet metal.

Or like countless hands pounding on the door at the same time.

Jinguji Ayane raised her head and looked at the dark shadows surging outside the cave.

Her voice was chillingly soft.

"This is the final event before the opening of the Pseudo-Takamagahara..."

"The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons."

"All living people still remaining on the islands will be treated by them as the path to return..."