29: The Shadow of Soul Devouring, the First Signs of Internal Strife

Nether Fiend's command was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples within the Dark Guild's massive machinery.

The conspiracy named "Soul Erosion Plan," accompanied by the deployment of two core assassins, "Blood Wolf" and "Shadow Dance," quietly infiltrated the Northern Region, directly targeting the City of Radiance, and specifically the Yun Family.

"Blood Wolf," a Peak Gold Five-Star expert, was bloodthirsty and brutal, skilled in direct assaults and instilling terror, leading a contingent of fearless "Blood Wolf Guards."

"Shadow Dance," a Gold Five-Star expert, was mysterious and unpredictable, adept at disguise, allure (charm), and Soul suggestion, one of the Dark Guild's top spies and assassins.

One overt and one covert, the two, carrying Nether Fiend's will and the special "Soul Erosion" secret medicine, infiltrated the Northern Region.

At the same time, Yun Feng's simplified version of the "Minor Heavenly Cycle Star Formation" was also initially completed.

He established thirty-six Formation bases at key nodes within the City of Radiance, with the Yun Family's base as the core.

When the Formation was activated, it could draw upon faint starlight to form a powerful defensive light shield and monitor abnormal energy fluctuations within the city.

Although far from the full power of the complete version, it was more than sufficient to counter infiltration and attacks below Legendary Rank.

On the day the Formation was completed, the stars in the night sky seemed to brighten a few shades, and an invisible energy field enveloped the entire city, giving residents an inexplicable sense of security, while also causing discomfort to some lurking evil spirits.

However, the Dark Guild's "Soul Erosion" methods were far more insidious than direct attacks.

A few days later, strange occurrences began to appear within the City of Radiance.

First, the patriarchs of several minor families who had recently affiliated with the Yun Family inexplicably became irritable and prone to anger, repeatedly making foolish decisions when handling Family affairs, leading to intensified internal conflicts.

Next, several mid-level managers in the City Lord's Mansion consecutively made significant errors while handling official duties, causing considerable losses and chaos.

Even within the Tianhen Aristocratic Family, two young disciples who had a good relationship with Lu Piao became taciturn after an outdoor training expedition, their eyes occasionally flashing with a strange, grayish pallor.

Initially, these were treated as isolated incidents.

But Yun Feng, through the monitoring of the "Minor Heavenly Cycle Star Formation," keenly noticed that the Soul aura of these troubled individuals had been tainted by an extremely subtle, insidious dark energy, like a maggot clinging to bone—precisely the effect of the "Soul Erosion" secret medicine!

This secret medicine did not directly control; instead, it subtly amplified the target's negative emotions, eroded their rationality, and ultimately caused their behavior to spiral out of control, creating suspicion and chaos from within.

"Has it finally begun? Soul Erosion..." Yun Feng's eyes were cold.

This method might be effective against other forces, but to him, it was like teaching a fish to swim!

"System, scan the entire city, locate all targets eroded by 'Soul Erosion' energy, and deduce purification plans."

"[Command received. Initiating high-precision Soul scan across the entire city... Consuming 500 Rule Energy points.]"

"[Scan complete! A total of 37 eroded targets found, with varying degrees of erosion.]"

"[Deducing purification plans:

a) Potent Purification: Instantly dispels erosion, but will cause some damage to the target's Soul. Energy cost: 10 points/person.

b) Gentle Guidance: Uses Rule Energy to guide the target's own will to resist and devour the eroding energy, slightly strengthening their Soul resistance. Energy cost: 30 points/person.

c) Tracing Source: While purifying, reverse-trace the source of the eroding energy. Energy cost: 100 points/instance.]"

Yun Feng unhesitatingly chose a combination of b and c.

He not only wanted to solve the problem but also to expose the mastermind!

With a thought, vast Rule Energy, like an invisible trickle, precisely surged into the bodies of the thirty-seven eroded individuals through the nodes of the "Minor Heavenly Cycle Star Formation."

In the City Lord's Mansion, a manager who was about to rage at his subordinate suddenly felt a clear current flow into his mind, his irritation instantly vanished, his thoughts became clear, and he looked in astonishment at the erroneous document he had almost signed.

The grayish pallor in the eyes of the two disciples from the Tianhen Aristocratic Family rapidly receded, replaced by fear and clarity.

The patriarchs of those small families also calmed down, recalling their recent absurd behaviors, cold sweat trickling down their backs.

At the same time, Yun Feng locked onto the target with the deepest erosion and clearest energy source—a low-level Dark Guild member who had infiltrated the city disguised as a merchant.

"Tracing Source, activate!"

Rule Energy, following the connection of that trace of eroding energy, like a precise hunting dog, instantly traversed space and reverse-locked onto the source—"Shadow Dance," who was remotely guiding the "Soul Erosion" energy through a skull Magical Artifact in the cellar of a seemingly ordinary inn in the city!

"Found you!" A cold light flashed in Yun Feng's eyes, and his figure instantly vanished from the Yun Family's base.

The next instant, he appeared like a ghost in the cellar of that inn.

Inside the cellar, candlelight flickered.

"Shadow Dance" still maintained the appearance of an ordinary woman after her disguise, concentrating on manipulating the skull Magical Artifact, when she suddenly felt a suffocating pressure descend.

She looked up in horror, only to see Yun Feng standing before her, having appeared at some unknown moment!

"You..." "Shadow Dance" reacted extremely quickly, her figure retreating sharply, while two poisoned daggers appeared in her hands, stabbing at Yun Feng's vital points like a dance, her movements graceful and deadly!

However, her movements, in Yun Feng's eyes, were as slow as a snail.

Yun Feng didn't even move; he merely narrowed his gaze.

An invisible Soul impact, like a heavy hammer, fiercely struck "Shadow Dance's" Sea of Consciousness!

"Ah!" "Shadow Dance" shrieked, bleeding from her seven orifices, her Sea of Consciousness almost collapsing, her movements instantly froze, and her eyes became unfocused.

Yun Feng reached out and grasped, and the skull Magical Artifact fell into his hand, the dark energy entwined around it instantly purified and annihilated by Rule Energy.

"Sent by Nether Fiend? Is this all you've got?" Yun Feng looked at "Shadow Dance," who was slumped on the ground, having lost all resistance, his tone indifferent.

One of the core executors of the "Soul Erosion Plan," the Gold Five-Star top assassin "Shadow Dance," was captured in a single encounter!

Almost at the same time Yun Feng captured "Shadow Dance," earth-shattering battle cries and the roars of Yao Beasts came from outside the city—"Blood Wolf" and his Blood Wolf Guards, responsible for creating chaos and attracting attention, launched a fearless frontal assault on the city gate!

But what awaited them was the Yun Family's elite led by Yun Hao, who had long been prepared, and the "Minor Heavenly Cycle Star Formation" which had activated part of its power!

Starlight descended, forming a barrier, and the Blood Wolf Guards' charge was like hitting an iron plate.

Yun Hao led the charge, engaging in battle with the berserk "Blood Wolf," and relying on his enhanced Cultivation Technique and equipment, he actually fought the Peak Gold Five-Star "Blood Wolf" to a standstill!

The commotion within the city quickly subsided after Yun Feng's intervention, and the frontal assault outside the city made no progress against the Yun Family's elite and the Formation.

The Dark Guild's meticulously planned "Soul Erosion Plan," under Yun Feng's absolute power and the System's high-dimensional insight, was declared bankrupt as soon as it unfolded!

Yun Feng, carrying the unconscious "Shadow Dance," vanished again, reappearing atop the city wall, coldly looking down at "Blood Wolf" and his subordinates who were still stubbornly resisting below.

He threw "Shadow Dance" to the ground like trash, his voice resonating across the battlefield:

"Did Nether Fiend send you useless lot?"

"Tell your master, if he wants to play, I'll accompany him to the end."

"But this debt, I will personally go to the Shadow Mountain Range and settle it with him, slowly!"

As his voice fell, an even more terrifying pressure, like divine might, descended, instantly enveloping the entire battlefield outside the city!

"Blood Wolf," who was fiercely battling Yun Hao, froze in his movements, an expression of extreme fear appearing on his face, as if being targeted by an ancient beast!

His Blood Wolf Guards were even more frozen, unable to move!

Yun Hao seized the opportunity, thrusting his spear, directly piercing "Blood Wolf's" heart!

The two core members dispatched by the Dark Guild this time, "Shadow Dance" was captured, and "Blood Wolf" was slain, their subordinate forces completely annihilated!

When the news spread, the Northern Region was once again shaken!

The might of the Yun Family and the strength of Yun Feng had deeply ingrained themselves in people's hearts!

"[Successfully thwarted the Dark Guild's 'Soul Erosion Plan,' captured and killed its core members, and greatly suppressed its arrogance. Received Rule Energy feedback: 2000 points!]"

"[Current Rule Energy: 3560 - 500 (scan) - 1110 (purify 37 people) - 100 (trace) + 2000 = 3850 / 10000.]"

Yun Feng stood on the city wall, his robes fluttering, his gaze seemingly already cast towards the distant Shadow Mountain Range.

"Nether Fiend... your life is reserved by me."