18: Chapter 18 The Death of All Living Beings Like Ants

"A Formation? A Formation that drains vitality, covering the whole city!?"

Shen Moyan took a deep breath.

No rush, they are still in the city, the two of them shouldn't be so insane as to... "As expected, it's here. Wanbao Street connects the Meridians of Dongshan City's western district; this place is the Formation Eye."

"With our attainment in the Formation Dao, we can only seize a corner of the Formation."

"A little is better than nothing."

He Liang raised his hand, gathering mana in his palm, and struck the ground.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still for the entire city.

Threads of mana spread underground, covering the western half of Dongshan City like a spiderweb.

The ground began to vibrate violently, and countless dark red pillars of light erupted from the cracks in the bricks, enveloping the Cultivators who didn't have time to flee.

"Why can't I use my spiritual power anymore!"

"Me too! The Spiritual Qi around me has been drained!"

There were also those low-level Cultivators and Mortals trapped by the light pillars; their bodies withered at a visible rate as their blood qi and Divine Souls were forcibly extracted, turning into pure energy that flowed into the blood patterns.

Everything happened so fast that no one even had time to scream.

Shen Moyan looked back and saw half the city covered by the blood-colored Formation; the once-bustling marketplace had instantly turned into a living hell.

He Liang and Ji Yu hovered in the center of the Formation, eyes closed, absorbing the plundered essence, their Auras growing stronger and stronger.

[True Name: Shen Moyan]

[Race: Human Race]

[Realm: Qi Gathering Ninth Layer (Twisted Immortal Path)]

[Current Remaining Lifespan: 134 years ↓]

"Damn it!"

In the blink of an eye, Shen Moyan's lifespan was slashed by over a hundred years!

Dammit! This city is their backyard! They can do whatever they want!

Shen Moyan ground his teeth, his escape light flashing under his feet. At the same time, his gaze swept over the piles of Magical Artifact stalls at the street corner, left behind by the stall owners in their panicked flight, with various Magic Treasures scattered everywhere.

Taking the Magical Artifacts and Spirit Stones of those people along the way, Shen Moyan hurriedly rushed toward the city gates.

Fortunately, the closer he got to the city gate, the rate of lifespan loss dropped significantly.

Thud!

Shen Moyan crashed head-on into a barrier.

An invisible wall of air blocked Shen Moyan's path.

Shen Moyan drew his heavenly demon sword, the sword light flashing, but he could never cut through the barrier.

He tried several spots along the city wall, but it was always the same.

"Is this 'closing the door to beat the dog, catching a turtle in a jar'?"

Filled with fear and uncertainty, Shen Moyan looked around the city walls.

There was no one left; the guards had all become withered corpses.

The scene of showing guidance tokens when entering the city was still fresh in his mind; many people couldn't even get in if they wanted to.

And now, the starkly contrasting scene before him made Shen Moyan smile bitterly.

What is this?

Is this what a Sect is? So unreasonable?

And these two are just Outer Sect Disciples; if an Inner Sect Disciple came, what would this world look like?

"Immortal, Twisted Immortal Path, Mortal, heh."

For the first time, Shen Moyan felt an unprecedented sense of disgust.

It seems this world needs people like Jiang Zhiqiu.

Wait, Jiang Zhiqiu?

Shen Moyan suddenly remembered what the city patrol Cultivator, Ni Gaoyuan, had said yesterday.

"West City Gate, Yingxian Terrace."

Shen Moyan rushed toward that direction like mad.

The Yingxian Terrace was a high platform for receiving visiting Cultivators, making it convenient for them to choose a landing spot while flying.

Every three years, when the Upper Sect Immortal Masters came to the city to recruit disciples, they also used this platform.

Now, it was crowded with people, and there was also a flying boat.

"Old Teacher?"

Shen Moyan saw an acquaintance in the crowded throng—the Old Teacher from the private school.

But he didn't approach him because his Divine Sense detected Cultivators watching the area.

At this moment, the Old Teacher was leading a group of children, squeezing into the flying boat moored in the air.

A star-white banner hung from the flying boat, with two grand and imposing words written on it.

Holy Court.

Shen Moyan understood the situation instantly; Jiang Zhiqiu had given his means of transportation to these Mortals.

This Holy Court flying boat must have been expensive; the Restrictions on it were unlike anything Shen Moyan had ever seen.

When a wisp of Shen Moyan's Divine Sense touched the flying boat, his Divine Soul felt a prickling sensation.

This flying boat had been set with Spells that only allowed Mortals to pass.

Perhaps for Jiang Zhiqiu in the Mortal Transformation Realm, it was also a precious item. No wonder the Cultivators of Dongshan City could do nothing about it.

Shen Moyan did not show himself but instead concealed his Aura and blended in among the children.

"This flying boat should be able to break through Dongshan City's barrier. I just need to follow it in a moment," Shen Moyan planned in his heart.

"As expected, what Mr. Jiang said has come true."

The Old Teacher in green robes looked at the city filled with Death Qi and sighed deeply.

Dongshan City, where he had lived his entire life, was actually just a nursery for some entity. The moment his worldview collapsed, how could he not feel melancholy?

Suddenly, a roar that shook the heavens echoed:

"Ni Gaoyuan, I haven't treated you poorly all these years, yet you dare use a Demon Seed on me!"

Shen Moyan shuddered. Was it the City Lord?

"Demon Seed? The thing the Cen Family father and son sent was a Demon Seed?"

Shen Moyan used his Earth Hearing Ear to listen to the commotion over there clearly.

He had learned about things like Demon Seeds through soul searching before.

This item specifically targets the mental state, causing the Heart Demons deep within a Cultivator to erupt, thereby seizing their mind.

Boom!

While Shen Moyan was deep in thought, the sky over the Yingxian Terrace suddenly turned dark, and a massive, hideous claw reached up from beneath the city.

The claw grabbed the flying boat in its palm, and the Mortals were spilled out like beans.

Shen Moyan spread his Divine Sense and saw a horned bird demon appear below the West City Gate. It was a hundred zhang tall, and its wingspan was a full three hundred zhang.

The bird demon opened its long, narrow beak and swallowed all the falling Mortals.

"Truly nourishing."

The bird demon extended its tongue to wrap around the flying boat. The Restrictions on the vessel's surface cracked inch by inch, and the panicked Mortals fell from the boat one by one, only to be swallowed into its belly.

"Bastard, you did well."

The bird demon spoke toward the City Lord's Mansion, its eyes full of enjoyment.

"Fuck!"

Shen Moyan cursed.

With a Yao Beast in front and demonic people behind, how was he supposed to escape!

Retreating would mean falling into that Formation and having his lifespan drained.

Stepping forward would mean becoming a meal for the bird demon.

"Mythical Bird? Is City Lord Chu Sheng also in league with Yao Beasts?"

A booming voice came from Wanbao Street in the west of the city. He Liang and Ji Yu descended slowly before the bird demon, standing on their Flying Swords.

They had strange expressions as they looked at the bird demon, the greed in their eyes unconcealed.

The bird demon narrowed its eyes and stopped its movements as it looked at the two Cultivators in fluttering gray robes.

"Biyang Sword Sect? Why, is this place your nursery?" the bird demon asked, its Aura weakening slightly.

"I am merely here at the invitation of your Human Race to feed, and incidentally to retrieve a clan item lost here decades ago," the bird demon's voice was filled with wariness.

"Pardon the intrusion; I hope the Upper Sect will be magnanimous."

However, the two Cultivators in the sky turned a deaf ear to its words.

"A Second Tribulation Mythical Bird. Senior Brother, what do you think?" Ji Yu performed a sword gesture, and the Flying Sword beneath his feet swelled to a hundred zhang in size.

"Junior Brother, your Soul-Condensing Pill is still missing one yao core as an ingredient. Just as well, my Transforming Feather Garment is also missing a few feathers. Let's use this bird as nourishment."

He Liang also seized the opportunity, pointing his fingers like a sword. A rain of swords filled the sky, charging straight at the Mythical Bird.

It didn't matter where this Yao Beast came from; as long as it could be turned from a cold life into a warm Magic Treasure on their bodies, it was a good thing.

"Human Race! You push us too far!" The Mythical Bird was furious and fought back.

Shen Moyan sensed a hint of a conspiracy from this confrontation.

Someone was setting a trap!

Someone had set a trap, wanting this bird demon and the people from the Biyang Sword Sect to both suffer!

Who could it be?

Shen Moyan turned his head abruptly, pushing his Earth Hearing Ear to the limit, and directed his Divine Sense toward the City Lord's Mansion.

Soon, he saw the figure of a tall, thin man.

It was Ni Gaoyuan!