[Vol. 6] Chapter 258: Bloodstained Horizon, Reversal of Yin and Yang
A stone platform slowly rose from the ground. The white-haired fox girl stepped forward and gracefully sat down cross-legged.
Before her lay the ancient zither, [Mortal World], its smooth surface reflecting a soft, luminous glow. A delicate fox-shaped jade ornament dangled from it, shimmering in the hazy atmosphere. Everything the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden once possessed had now returned to her. Perhaps even greater than before.
A thousand years had passed. Now, it was time to bring everything to an end.
Her pale, slender fingers touched the strings, plucking the first note.
"Woooong~~~~~"
The crisp, resonant sound trembled through the air, carrying forth a cascading melody.
"Tang~ Tang-Tang~ Tang-Tang-Tang-Tang~"
This was a song without words. Yet, its essence embodied Dawn’s deepest understanding of the dual worlds of Yin and Yang, the endless cycle of life and death. It was the purest expression of reincarnation itself.
The pinnacle of laws, a technique that pushes divine power to its limits, the [Ultimate Art].
And this was the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden’s [Ultimate Art], [Bloodstained Horizon, Reversal of Yin and Yang].
The ethereal sound of the zither rippled outward, resonating across the chamber. Amplified by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden’s personal divine artifact, the melody spread across the vast heavens, extending far beyond the mortal realm, enveloping the entire world.
"This sound…?"
Kneeling on the blood-soaked battlefield, Ling Feng lifted her head, staring blankly at the radiant immortal island hovering high above. A mesmerizing tune drifted from its peak, weaving through the air like an old, familiar memory.
That melody… She had heard it before.
A name surfaced in her mind, someone she had once believed she would never see again.
"Violet… is that you?"
With great effort, Ling Feng shifted her wounded body, cradling the lifeless form of her personal guard, whose warmth was fading fast. Her trembling hands pulled out a few bloodstained talismans, eyes locked onto the grotesque rotting tree in the distance. A monstrous force that had suddenly emerged from underground, shattering the defensive lines of the great army.
Unstoppable. Unrelenting. Almost invincible.
The mighty warriors who had descended from the skies held back the monstrosity and the swarming evil spirit, but even they could not destroy it.
All they could do was fight, to keep the battle from being lost.
We cannot let their sacrifices be in vain.
We cannot let the reinforcements fight alone.
The [Ancient Spirit Realm]… their homeland… must be defended by their own hands.
But just then—
"Awooo!!! Awoooooo!!!"
A spine-chilling howl of agony echoed across the fractured battlefield, where warriors had long been scattered, each fighting their own desperate battle.
A monstrous evil spirit had just struck down a warrior of the [Ancient Spirit Realm] and was about to deliver the finishing blow. But as the Immortal Island radiated its divine light and the ethereal melody filled the air, something strange happened.
Black mist began rising from the creature's body, thick and curling, as if it had been drenched in boiling water. Its form, once towering and grotesque, visibly withered, shrinking before their very eyes.
And it was just the beginning.
"Awoooooo!!! Awoooo—!!!"
"What… what is happening?"
"It’s the music!"
One after another, evil spirit collapsed. Their bodies unraveled into streams of black mist, fading into nothingness.
They had not been struck by any weapon. No force had physically harmed them. And yet, these unnatural beings, born from the distorted laws of the [Ancient Spirit Realm], fueled by spirit energy yet existing solely to consume and destroy were falling apart.
The stronger ones rapidly weakened, while the weaker ones perished within moments. The raw destructive power that made up their essence dissolved into the sky, vanishing with the vibrations of the zither’s melody.
The warriors of the [Ancient Spirit Realm], those who had survived, stood frozen in place. They exchanged stunned glances, their minds struggling to grasp what they had just witnessed.
"Who… who is playing this music?"
"So this… this is the true power of the Spirit Veil Immortal Island?"
"But… if such a power exists… why was it never used before?"
Some were confused, some were shocked, and some were filled with grief and resentment over the loss of their loved ones. But the more powerful, ancient beings, those with keen instincts, had already started to sense something.
On the battlefield high above, where only the strongest could fight, a man in black and white robes, known as the Celestial Sage, held off three [Ultimate Transformation]-level monstrous evil spirits single-handedly. With a wave of his sleeve, he pushed back his foes and listened closely to the lingering melody in the air, a look of deep reflection on his face.
"The number one warrior of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]... the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden, Dawn. The only one who has never been replaced in the rankings, an undisputed peak existence. The true number one in the world..."
"Now that I think about it, 'the one and only, above all' would be a more fitting title. This level of power… it's far beyond what any of us can reach."
The stronger one's cultivation, the clearer they could perceive the terrifying force hidden within the zither’s melody.
The three evil spirits before him weren’t newly spawned creatures, born from the recent bloodshed. They were ancient monstrosities, survivors from the [Demon Rebellion] war a thousand years ago, beasts that had slaughtered countless lives and soaked themselves in blood.
And yet, despite their overwhelming power, they writhed in agony, unable to resist black mist poured out of their bodies. Their strength was visibly crumbling, dissolving at an alarming rate.
The battle, which had once seemed to lean in their favor, had now completely shifted. The Celestial Sage had gained the absolute upper hand in mere moments.
He stood in the air, looking down at the three ancient evil spirits, who now wore expressions of fear and disbelief.
"It seems that in this war between our two races, we have finally won."
The music carried a power that defied reason, a force beyond comprehension. As long as the melody continued to play, the outcome was already decided. Even if the Celestial Sage did nothing from this point on, the evil spirits before him were doomed.
Not just them.
Not just this battlefield.
Every evil spirit across the [Ancient Spirit Realm] would soon be wiped out.
At the peak of [Ultimate Transformation], one no longer needed to see with their own eyes to understand the laws at work. The truth was clear, the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden was eradicating every single evil spirit in the world by herself.
This… was the power of a true god.
Even so, one of the evil spirit, a monstrous being with four eerie green eyes known as [Eyeless], remained calm. Though his expression was grim, he still sneered in defiance.
"Don't celebrate too soon. Even if the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden has returned… our Lord’s creation has descended once more. She failed to stop it a thousand years ago. What makes you think she can do it now?"
The Celestial Sage simply smiled, his expression calm and composed.
"Then let’s just wait and see."
…………………………………
Eastern Kingdom, Xingyuan City.
"This melody... is it really you? But why is it playing here? What kind of power is this…?"
On the war-torn streets, Meng Rui stood amidst the lingering drizzle of blood-red rain, accompanied by several [Music Fairy Troupe] guards. She barely paid attention to the wounds on her body that were still bleeding, her hands clenched tightly as deep concern filled her face.
"Violet… no matter what happens, please be safe. Don't push yourself too hard..."
"Your Holiness! Look! the evil spirits are retreating!!!"
A loud, exhilarated shout came from the royal guards. Shangguan Qiuyue, who had just cut down several evil spirits with a single sword strike and shattered their remains into nothingness with a flash of his blade, turned sharply to look.
What he saw was unbelievable, the seemingly endless hordes of monstrous creatures that had been attacking relentlessly were now withdrawing at an astonishing speed.
Even more shockingly, many of them collapsed mid-retreat, withering like dying flowers, their bodies dissolving into black mist.
Yet, there was no visible attack.
As the Saint of the Eastern Kingdom, a ruler who had seen and experienced countless battles, he naturally had a sharper eye than ordinary people. He quickly picked up on the crucial detail in the changing battlefield.
"That melody… a zither… is it Violet?"
"No… that zither originally belonged to the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden. And this power, this far surpasses [Ultimate Transformation] realm..."
His eyes flickered with realization.
"So that’s why… no wonder that girl, Yanzi, insisted I hand over the zither when we made our deal."
"She planned for all of this from the very beginning?"
Lowering his blood-stained sword, the Saint let out a long breath, half amazed, half relieved.
"So this was the true purpose of Immortal Island all along… Hah… what a masterful strategy."
His expression hardened as he gave his next command.
"Pass down my decree! Do not pursue the fleeing evil spirit. Focus on rescuing the wounded, counting the survivors, and restoring order throughout the city."
"Anyone who dares to take advantage of the chaos to stir trouble! Execute them on the spot!"
"Yes, Your Holiness!!!"