214: Shadow Fiend Night Raid and Demon Realm Dark Clouds

Yitian City, late at night.

The daytime bustle and the smell of blood had not yet dissipated, and the city was jubilant. The annihilation of the Wood Clan's army of a hundred thousand allowed this Human Race border city, which had struggled on the brink of death for months, to finally catch its breath. The celebration banquet was brightly lit, with the aroma of wine and laughter drifting in the night wind.

However, on the flip side of this light, shadows were quietly writhing.

At the foot of the city walls, although the light screen of the protective Formation was bright, it could not illuminate those existences that were "darkness" itself.

Countless pitch-black shadows, hugging the ground, silently passed through the thick city walls and penetrated the solid Restrictions. They had no physical form, no aura, and were difficult to capture even with Divine Sense.

"Pfft."

A Soul Transformation Stage defending general patrolling the city wall suddenly stiffened. He looked down and saw his own shadow standing up at some point, holding a pitch-black dagger, silently stabbing into his Dantian.

No blood flowed out.

His Nascent Soul and life force were devoured by that shadow in an instant.

Then came the second, the third... Yitian City's defenses were being dismantled from within... The City Lord's Manor hall.

Zhou Wannian (Han Li) was sitting in the main seat, playing with the green demon core he had obtained from Venerable Withered Wood. Xiang Zhili, on the other hand, was unceremoniously munching on a spirit fruit nearby.

"Junior Brother Han, why do you think the Shadow Clan hasn't made a move yet?"

Xiang Zhili said indistinctly, "Logically, now that the Wood Clan has been defeated, that group of guys hiding in the gutters should have taken the opportunity to launch a sneak attack."

"They're already here."

Zhou Wannian suddenly clenched his palm, putting away the demon core, and looked at the moonlight shadow cast in from the hall's entrance.

"And, they are right here."

Before his voice had even faded.

All the lights in the hall were extinguished instantly.

The originally calm shadows on the ground suddenly boiled, turning into countless black ghostly hands, clutching at the ankles of Zhou Wannian and Xiang Zhili.

"Jie jie jie..."

A burst of elusive, eerie laughter echoed in the darkness.

"Human kid, your sword Formation is indeed powerful."

"But can a sword... cut a shadow?"

In the Void Realm, a blurry, tall black shadow slowly emerged. He had no facial features, only a pair of pale white eyes, emitting the eerie fluctuations of the Early Stage Body Integration.

Shadow Clan Grand Elder — [Venerable Ghost Shadow].

"Physical attacks are ineffective, and Spell attacks are halved," Venerable Ghost Shadow said arrogantly. "Before our Shadow Clan, your Human Race physical bodies and Magic Treasures are all jokes!"

"Now... die!"

Countless black shadows turned into sharp blades, stabbing at Zhou Wannian from all directions.

Facing this bizarre attack.

Zhou Wannian didn't even blink.

"Physical attacks are ineffective?"

He sat in his chair without moving, simply reaching out to pat a black leather pouch at his waist.

"Then have you heard of... 'eating'?"

"Come out, Soul Crying."

"It's time for a late-night snack."

"Roar—!!!"

A low, tyrannical roar, as if from the depths of Hell, exploded in the narrow hall.

A streak of dark light soared into the sky, instantly transforming into a ten-meter-tall black giant ape. The ghostly face totem on its back was blood-red, and its huge upturned nose took a sudden, powerful sniff at the black shadows filling the room.

"Slurp—"

Like a whale sucking in water.

Those originally arrogant Shadow Clan shadows, which claimed to be immune to physical attacks, actually let out screams of extreme terror in the face of the Ti Hun Beast's suction.

"Ahhh—what kind of monster is this?!"

"My Origin! My Shadow Soul!!!"

Those black shadows twisted and elongated uncontrollably, turning into streams of black smoke that were forcibly pulled into the Ti Hun Beast's nostrils.

While inhaling, the Ti Hun Beast even showed a look of disdain, as if to say: this stuff tastes a bit astringent.

"Xing Beast?! A Complete Form Xing Beast?!"

Venerable Ghost Shadow in mid-air finally saw the giant ape clearly, and his pale eyes almost fell out in fright.

The Shadow Clan are special life forms between spirit bodies and ghost creatures; what they fear most is this kind of Vicious Beast that specifically counters Divine Souls!

"Run!"

Without a word, Venerable Ghost Shadow's figure instantly collapsed, turning into thousands of black threads, attempting to merge into the Void Realm to escape.

"Since you've come, don't leave."

Zhou Wannian slowly stood up.

He raised his right hand, and in his palm, a miniature five-colored mountain slowly rotated.

"Yuan Ci Divine Light · Light and Shadow Stripping."

Buzz!

A gray haze swept out.

This haze did not possess powerful offensive power, but it had one characteristic—it distorted light and locked down space.

"Freeze."

Zhou Wannian spoke a word of truth.

Under the illumination of the Yuan Ci Divine Light, those thousands of fleeing black threads were actually forcibly "stripped" from the Void Realm, re-condensing into Venerable Ghost Shadow's physical form, frozen stiffly in mid-air.

"No... please no..."

Venerable Ghost Shadow cried out in terror. He found he couldn't move, and that terrifying giant ape was walking toward him, drooling.

"Chomp."

The Ti Hun Beast reached out its large, hairy hand and grabbed Venerable Ghost Shadow.

Then, like eating a piece of black spicy jerky.

"Crunchy."

The Early Stage Body Integration Shadow Clan Grand Elder, along with the hundreds of elite Shadow Clan assassins he had brought.

All annihilated.

"Burp~"

The Ti Hun Beast let out a satisfied burp, a flash of black light appearing on its body as its aura actually strengthened by a few points. It rubbed against Zhou Wannian's leg pleasingly and then crawled back into the spirit beast pouch.

Xiang Zhili watched from the side, dumbfounded, even forgetting to munch on the spirit fruit in his hand.

"Junior Brother Han..."

"Isn't this monkey of yours... a bit too abnormal?"

"It's just average, third in the Spirit Realm."

Zhou Wannian straightened his sleeves, as if he had only done a trivial thing.

"The Shadow Clan is destroyed, and the Wood Clan is crippled."

"The crisis of Yitian City can be considered resolved."

However.

Just as he was about to sit down and continue drinking tea.

"Buzz—"

The golden Heaven-rank Elder Token in his robes suddenly became scalding hot and emitted a rapid buzzing sound.

This was the highest-level alarm of Tianyuan City!

It would only be activated when the Human Race faced the crisis of extermination!

Zhou Wannian's expression changed, and he sent his Divine Sense into the token.

An anxious, majestic voice exploded directly in his mind.

It was Zen Master Jin Yue.

"All Elders outside! Abandon all missions immediately! Return to Tianyuan City at once!"

"The Demon Realm passage Seal has shattered!"

"The Demon Race... has crossed over!!!"

"The first wave of attack... is the Incarnations of the three Sacred Ancestors!!!"

Zhou Wannian suddenly looked up, his gaze penetrating the roof to look at the distant western sky.

In the originally clear night sky.

At some point, a huge, scar-like purple-black spot appeared. That spot was continuously expanding, with billowing Devilish Qi pouring down from it. Even from hundreds of millions of miles away, one could feel that suffocating evil and chaos.

[Demon Spot].

The sign of the Demon Realm invasion.

"The Demon Tribulation... has come early?"

Zhou Wannian's brow furrowed.

According to the original timeline, the Demon Tribulation should still be several hundred years away. Could it be because he, this "butterfly," flapped his wings (such as the commotion he caused in the Earth Abyss, or Luo Hu's movements), causing the interface barrier to weaken prematurely?

"Senior Brother Xiang."

Zhou Wannian turned around, his His expression was more serious than ever before..

"The good days are over."

"Pack your things; we're going back to Tianyuan City."

"This time's opponent..."

Zhou Wannian looked at the expanding Demon Spot, a hint of Battle Intent flashing in his eyes.

"Is not something the Wood Clan or Shadow Clan can compare to."

"That is... a true demon."

...Outside Yitian City.

The defending soldiers who were originally celebrating the victory also felt the terrifying change in the world.

"The... why has the sky turned dark?"

"What is that? Such a terrifying aura!"

Zhou Wannian flew into the high sky, his voice spreading throughout the city.

"Everyone, hear my command!"

"Activate the highest-level defense Formation! Seal the city gates! No one is allowed to enter or leave!"

"I will return to Tianyuan City for reinforcements!"

"Until then... hold your ground to the death!"

Having said that.

Zhou Wannian summoned the [Giant Crab], took Xiang Zhili with him, and turned into a streak of light, speeding toward the direction where the Devilish Qi was most concentrated.