Chapter 040: A Deadly Rhythm

Grey Eagle left the Demon Suppression Camp, leaving Yang Xuangan deeply suspicious; something major must have gone wrong with the Grey Harriers. Although Yang Xuangan did not know that the Grey Harriers possessed the "Cold-Blooded Thirteen Eagles," he was well aware that Grey Eagle was the core of their falconry training. Normally stationed at the main camp to gather intelligence, his departure could only mean that the Grey Harriers were facing a crisis. Yet, were not all hundred or so members of the Grey Harriers supposed to be deep in the three thousand mountains of Changbai, training their birds? What kind of trouble could they possibly be in?

He immediately pulled out his identification badge to question Ling Xuan. But at this moment, Ling Xuan had no time to respond.

The idea of avoiding battle was pure fantasy; it was simply impossible. Even if Ling Xuan had the heart to retreat, he could not escape. The little white snake darted out, its belly bulging. Following closely behind were the roots of the Bone-Wither Vine, which were surging forward with even greater intensity, having already slaughtered several of the Grey Harriers.

"You little creature, are you trying to get me killed?" Ling Xuan’s expression changed drastically.

The little white snake, however, only looked exhausted; it collapsed onto the snake-shaped mark on his arm and drifted into a deep sleep. Just moments ago, he had watched with glee as the Grey Harriers were besieged, but the tables had turned, and now he was the one in an awkward position.

Ye Ziyan’s Purple Phoenix Twin Spirit Blades swirled around her, creating a web of shadows. Purple markings flickered on her neck as the aura of her Shikigami, the Purple Phoenix, was released. Hou Junji leaped and scrambled, the phantom of his own Shikigami, a small white snake, flickering in and out of existence. Ling Xuan wielded his black and white needles continuously, the Taiji pattern on his palms spinning rapidly to guide the black and white snake shadows as they wove back and forth.

The main root of the Bone-Wither Vine possessed the strength of a four-star green-glow demonic soul. While the other roots were only two- or three-star, their sheer numbers were overwhelming—otherwise, the Grey Harriers would not have lost so many of their leaders in quick succession. But the main root was still busy dealing with the Grey Harriers; why had another four-star green-glow demonic soul root appeared here?

Ye Ziyan was truly impressive; even while fighting off other roots, she never stopped watching over Ling Xuan. She pulled her Purple Jade Phoenix hairpin, attached her twin blades to it, and combined them into the Purple Phoenix Treasure Bow. Her inner energy transformed into arrows that zipped through the air. By detonating a Taiji bead to create an illusion and using "Shifting Shadows," Ling Xuan barely managed to dodge a lethal strike.

In less than a day, he had used "Shifting Shadows" twice and consumed four Taiji beads. "This is going to be the death of me," Ling Xuan groaned.

"Quickly, we must go!" Ye Ziyan shouted.

But leaving was no longer easy. Ling Xuan finally understood why this place was called "Eagle Sorrow Ravine." It wasn't just because the thick fog prevented eagles from seeing from above; it was because the Bone-Wither Vines in the ravine blotted out the sky, so dense that even the falcons passing overhead could not escape being preyed upon.

His black and white needles stirred up a vortex of energy, piercing into the vines with a constant "bang-bang" sound. Yet, the more noise they made, the faster the roots coiled around them. Hou Junji continued to leap about, but he was already wounded, blood dripping from his body.

Ye Ziyan pulled her bowstring repeatedly, her arrows falling like rain. "Hurry, get together! Back to back!"

The Bone-Wither Vine was actually a twin-rooted entity, consisting of two four-star green-glow demonic souls. Currently, the three of them were facing only one; the other was still occupied with the Grey Harriers. If they waited for the second one to arrive, even if they stayed together, the sheer exhaustion would seal their fate. The only way out was to break through before the main vine returned.

"Wife, focus on dealing with that four-star demonic soul," Ling Xuan urged, "leave the rest to us."

"What can you possibly do?" Ye Ziyan asked, puzzled.

"Even if it’s a demonic soul, it’s still a plant, and plants fear fire." Ling Xuan gritted his teeth. Three days of his lifespan—so be it. Anything was better than having no tomorrow.

He detonated another Taiji bead. Crimson and orange currents surged through his body like snakes, and the Taiji pattern on his palm spun wildly. A red needle emerged from the vortex of the "Yang" eye, carrying waves of intense heat. With his black and white needles dancing, he channeled the vortex of the black and white snake shadows. The bone-snake tattoo on his body suddenly flared, and the scorching energy within him erupted. Ling Xuan roared, "Flame Infinite!"

In an instant, the red needle shot out and pierced the ground of the ravine.

*Whoosh!*

The crimson snake shadow expanded instantly, drawing forth the subterranean fires and erupting into a serpent of flame.

"This... what kind of technique is this?" Hou Junji stared in shock. How could this Prince of Changping, who was only at the Minor Cycle stage, unleash such powerful energy?

The scene in the cavern flashed before his eyes—it was identical to what he saw now, minus the mist of water. Ye Ziyan was dazed. "When did he master this?"

As the fire serpent rolled and the thick fog churned, the two- to three-star demonic roots of the Bone-Wither Vine retreated, fearing the flames. As the four-star main root attacked, Ye Ziyan pulled her Purple Phoenix Treasure Bow, releasing a continuous stream of arrows wreathed in purple light.

Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Ling Xuan, his face deathly pale, shouted, "Go!"

Using the power of the Great Shikigami "Spirit Snake Entwining the Moon" to trigger the subterranean fire had drained him completely; he could barely hold on. Concerned for her husband, Ye Ziyan immediately ordered, "Hou Junji, carry him!"

Despite his short stature, Hou Junji possessed immense strength. He hoisted Ling Xuan onto his back, his speed unimpeded. Ye Ziyan covered their retreat, her arrows sealing off the pursuing roots. The fire serpent surged forward, creating a vacuum in their path.

"Break through!" The surviving Grey Harriers saw their chance and tried to escape.

However, the Bone-Wither Vine, having been severed and scorched rather than fed by the blood of Ling Xuan and Ye Ziyan, turned all its demonic rage and ferocity upon the Grey Harriers. Even the corpses of those already dead were whipped and smashed against the ravine walls with thunderous thuds. Those who were still alive were too overwhelmed to help themselves.

Wails, screams, and curses filled the air. But who could hear them? The Grey Harriers who had yet to enter Eagle Sorrow Ravine heard only the rumbling from within. The mountains were high, the paths winding, and the ravine deep. They couldn't even see the fire serpent, only a faint red glow. By the time the ravine returned to silence, anyone who ventured in later would have no idea what had transpired.

In a valley with babbling brooks, Ling Xuan lay back, closing his eyes to recover. Using "Flame Infinite," even for just one strike, had left him feeling as if his entire body had been hollowed out. If his bones hadn't been tempered by moonlight, he likely would have fallen apart completely. Ling Xuan felt a tinge of luck—he had only channeled the power of one snake tattoo, and it had already left him in such a wretched state.

If Ye Ziyan and Hou Junji hadn't been there, he wouldn't have escaped, even with the power of his Great Shikigami. It seemed he had to absorb more moonlight to increase the resilience and strength of his bones. But absorbing moonlight required the assistance of the little white snake. Ever since the creature had swallowed that mysterious object, it had been in a deep sleep, and he couldn't yet sense what changes had occurred. If it weren't for the fact that it had activated his White Dragon bloodline, Ling Xuan would have been tempted to wring its neck.

He had planned to explore Eagle Sorrow Ravine further to see if there were any treasures, especially the broken stone tablet carried off by the Black Water Serpent soul. Who would have guessed that the little snake’s antics would provoke the Bone-Wither Vine and nearly cost them all their lives?

However, thinking of how many Grey Harriers he had tricked, he felt a sense of satisfaction—a long-overdue revenge for being hunted for days. Ling Xuan returned to his usual flippant self, chewing on a blade of grass. "I can turn the clouds and rain with a flip of my hand; what can those petty Grey Harriers do to me?"

"Haven't you noticed our power is a bit too weak?" Ye Ziyan hinted. "In the camp, you have backing, but out here, you are isolated. You can't even form a proper squad to take on missions."

A squad required at least five people. They were only three. Although they had accepted a mission from the Imperial Medical Valley which had no strict requirements, the rewards for such missions posted by Yang Xuangan were meager.

He pulled out his identification badge and saw a message from Yang Xuangan. Ling Xuan’s lips trembled slightly. "The Grey Harriers have this person?"

"Who?" Hou Junji asked, his eyes weary. The battle had been draining, and he was wounded, but his spirit was high—his movement techniques had improved, and he had gained much. Most importantly, he had vented his frustration by watching the Grey Harriers meet their end. He looked at the Prince of Changping, who, despite his low cultivation, possessed a remarkable talent for scheming. "Is he very strong?"

"His cultivation level is no less than that of the shadow from before."

Although he had guessed the identity of the shadow, Ling Xuan didn't want to confirm it yet. If he said it out loud, it would surely create a rift between Hou Junji, Ye Ziyan, and himself. Since the Divine Emperor had tasked him with building the Lingyan Pavilion, he had to recruit experts, and Luo Cheng, the Prince of Beiping, was an ideal candidate. But how to recruit him would require another plan.

The immediate problem, however, was Grey Eagle. Since Yang Xuangan said Grey Eagle was coming to the Changbai Mountains, Ling Xuan knew he was coming for him—Yuwen Chengxiang clearly couldn't swallow his pride.

Grey Eagle trained falcons and knew that these birds had sharp eyes and could even understand falconry language. But a falcon was still just a bird; even the Gyrfalcon, the god of all eagles, would make mistakes during high-altitude searches. And what if they could understand the language?

Ling Xuan’s spirit surged. "Hou Junji, have you figured out that skill of yours? Don't miss this chance to make a profit."

"You want me, a practitioner at the Minor Cycle stage, to steal items from the badge space of a Qi-Sea Earth-realm expert?" The shadow had been at least at the Qi-Sea Earth-realm, and Grey Eagle was the same. After clashing with them, Hou Junji knew he had no chance of resistance. He was so terrified he nearly jumped out of his skin. If this wasn't a death wish, what was?