Chapter Eighty-Four: A Chance to Obtain a Strand of Immortal Aura?【Four Thousand Words—Please Subscribe!】

There was no doubt about it.
Li You was consumed with rage, resolved to declare open war.
Yet, Song Shu, Jiang Qingxue, and the others showed not a trace of fear.
"The moment you ambushed our Academy's prodigy Lin Qiye, our conflict became one of life and death, Li You. Are you so blinded by fury you've forgotten reason, or do you naively believe that only you can assassinate our Academy's people, while we have no right to retaliate?"
"How foolish have you become?"
Song Shu sneered contemptuously, shaking his head.
"But let me make one thing clear: the deaths of over three thousand practitioners in your Floating Isles have nothing to do with us. Who knows, perhaps you made too many enemies and now you're reaping what you sowed!"
Song Shu mocked with biting sarcasm.
He had, of course, heard the terrifying deeds of the so-called 'Mysterious Fiend.'
The sheer horror of those feats was enough to send chills down Song Shu's spine, despite his status as a Platinum Practitioner.
Of course,
Such matters had nothing to do with him.
So, having clarified their position, Song Shu waved his hand grandly, leading the Golden Practitioners of the Academy faction in a swift retreat.
Li You was beside himself with rage, grinding his teeth. "Think you can run? Who gave you permission to leave? Kill them!"
At this moment, Li You had lost all reason, leading a squad of Golden Practitioners in a frenzied pursuit.
Song Shu remained cold and indifferent.
He walked at the rear of his group, fighting as he retreated, shielding the Academy's Golden Practitioners until they reached the safety of their own Floating Isles.
"Li You, enough! Clearly, your foul temper and penchant for making enemies have finally brought retribution upon you!"
"And let me warn you: now that you've left your lair, aren't you afraid that same Mysterious Fiend might double back and massacre thousands more of your people?"
"Heh heh heh... If that happens, the fun will really begin."
As he spoke, Song Shu let out a chilling laugh.
That single sentence made Li You's expression change dramatically.
He glared at Song Shu and Jiang Qingxue with burning resentment for over ten seconds, as if he wished to grind Song Shu to dust on the spot.
Alas,
In a short time, he was utterly helpless against Song Shu, his equal as a Platinum Practitioner. Even if they battled for three days and nights, there would be no decisive outcome.
Therefore,
Li You could only swallow his fury, unable to vent, and stormed away in frustration.
...
As they watched Li You depart, the Academy's experts exchanged startled glances, their eyes full of astonishment.
Even Song Shu, a Platinum Practitioner, was deeply shaken.
"To think that while we were fighting, a Mysterious Fiend infiltrated the Floating Isles of the Martial Faction, silently slaughtered fifty-three islands, and killed seventeen Golden Practitioners?!"
"And throughout the entire ordeal, we sensed nothing at all! What a hair-raising, uncanny method!"
Song Shu exhaled deeply, his expression more serious than ever before.
Ten Golden Practitioners darkened their gaze.
"That Mysterious Fiend is probably a prodigy driven out by the Martial Faction, now back for revenge. Such is the fate of those who do evil."
"There's no denying, that person's methods are truly ruthless—enough to make one's scalp tingle!"
"It seems that in the World of the Myriad, the one who slew five Golden Practitioners in a single stroke must also have been this Mysterious Fiend."
"But what kind of artifact does this Mysterious Fiend possess, to so easily bypass the protective barriers?"
At this, the Golden Practitioners could not suppress a shiver.
Such abilities were beyond uncanny.
It meant that from now on, their Floating Isles' protective shields were little more than decoration!
The Golden Practitioners could not help but feel their hearts race with fear.
Song Shu, too, was shaken, glancing anxiously in the direction of the Martial Faction's Floating Isles.
"We must be exceptionally vigilant in the coming days."
"I'll set up a duty roster: each day, only a third of the Golden Practitioners may go out, while the other two-thirds will remain as sentries, rotating every three days."
"With dozens of Golden Practitioners on patrol, we can prevent the same tragedy from befalling our Academy faction!"
Song Shu pondered this seriously, and the Golden Practitioners all nodded in agreement.
...
But,
Just as Song Shu finished speaking, the entire city of Li was rocked by a violent tremor.
A thunderous crash, like mountains collapsing, echoed from the north.
Everyone looked anxiously into the distance.
There in the nearby wilderness, a pillar of sickly green light shot up into the sky.
Within the beam, fiendish wails and howls resounded, and billowing clouds of miasma spewed outward, as if some monstrous creature sought to devour all in its path.
"That's... the descent beam of a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest!"
"How could a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest appear on the outskirts of Li City? Aren't such nests supposed to take root in the Black Mist Marshes? Our city's outskirts are all mountains—there are no marshes!"
Song Shu was deeply puzzled.
The Golden Practitioners were like ants on a hot pan.
"Impossible! A Diamond-grade Fiend Nest? Li City cannot possibly withstand that!"
"Lord Song, please request a Diamond Practitioner to come and eradicate the nest at once!"
Hearing this, Song Shu frowned deeply.
"Even if we request reinforcements, a Diamond Practitioner may not arrive in time..."
"After all, even for a Diamond Practitioner, a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest is dangerous. And such a nest can consume Li City in just two days—we can't pin all our hopes on outside rescue..."
Jiang Qingxue nodded slightly.
"We must take the initiative and evacuate to Star City..."
But immediately, another Golden Practitioner raised an objection.
"But for us Golden Practitioners, reaching Star City is extremely perilous! We have to cross two Black Mist Marshes. Even Platinum Practitioners might not survive those marshes!"
The objecting Golden Practitioner's face was ashen, his eyes haunted by fear.

Yet another Golden Practitioner clenched his jaw.
"We have no choice. Staying in Li City is a death sentence. Better to risk everything and head for Star City!"
Song Shu agreed.
"We must go, whether we want to or not. We have no alternatives! In recent years, Fiend Nests have become more and more frequent.
Hiding in Li City is not a long-term solution. This migration will be costly, but it must be done!
Otherwise, even if we survive this calamity by luck, there will be a next time."
Song Shu shook his head.
If they could stay in Li City, who would willingly abandon their stronghold to migrate elsewhere and live at the mercy of others?
But if they didn't go to Star City, the Diamond-grade Fiend Nest would only spawn more and more powerful fiends.
Li City would be defenseless!
Then, the only fate left would be death.
Better to risk everything and set out for Star City!
Little did they know... a tree that moves dies, but people who move survive!
At this thought,
Song Shu immediately returned to the Academy's Floating Isles to deliver the message.
"Attention all practitioners: a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest has appeared near Li City. You must gather your belongings and prepare to evacuate for Star City with the main force within ten minutes.
The journey will be fraught with danger—even Golden Practitioners may perish. Be prepared to face death.
As for the civilians... there's no need for you to come. You won't survive the journey; it's safer for you to remain in Li City.
If danger arises on the road, no one can save you.
Stay in Li City—this is an unmanageable disaster, and even we practitioners are like clay idols crossing a river, barely able to save ourselves."
Song Shu's calm voice echoed throughout the Floating Isles.
Lin Qiye, Chen Fan, and the other practitioners stood outside the villa, frowning.
"Brother Ye, a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest! Even Star City treats those with utmost seriousness—how did one end up in Li City?"
Lin Qiye nodded slightly.
"Who can say?"
"Prepare to flee to Star City. It's two thousand miles away—a distance that can be covered in two days if we hurry.
But the problem is, we must cross two Black Mist Marshes. Even Platinum Practitioners have perished within those marshes!"
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow.
This calamity had come too suddenly.
It underscored the increasingly desperate state of humanity.
Not only were there Skin-Changer Fiends lurking at every level of society,
but countless small cities were being consumed by Fiend Nests.
"Still! Might this be an opportunity?"
A sudden thought blazed in Lin Qiye's mind.
"If Platinum Practitioners are leading the way to Star City, shouldn't I seize the chance to enter the ruined temple outside Star City and obtain a wisp of celestial energy?"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The longing Lin Qiye had just managed to suppress flared up once more.
Looking at the map,
the temple housing the wisp of celestial energy lay directly on the route from Li City to Star City.
If they passed by,
Lin Qiye could seize the chance to enter the temple!
To obtain that priceless wisp of celestial energy!
With it, Lin Qiye would master a true celestial art!
And it would enhance the most terrifying technique he possessed—the Dao Canon!
If he could acquire a celestial version of the Dao Canon, Lin Qiye could not even imagine how powerful he might become.
"I must get there and claim the celestial energy. After all, the chance to cross the Black Mist Marshes under the escort of Platinum Practitioners doesn't come often."
At this,
Lin Qiye exhaled deeply.
"Gather your things. We're heading to the square!"
"Brother Ye, I don't have anything special—I'm ready to go."
"And I have nothing to take either."
So,
The two moved swiftly to the assembly square.
On the square,
over six thousand practitioners had gathered, including more than sixty Golden Practitioners. About twenty Golden Practitioners and a thousand Silver Practitioners had chosen to remain in Li City.
After all, compared to braving the Black Mist, Li City was still safer.
It was a personal choice, neither right nor wrong.
No one forced anyone.
Of course,
Lin Qiye and Chen Fan had decided to leave.
They stood in the square,
ready to set out at any moment.
Soon,
Jiang Nian arrived. She immediately spotted Lin Qiye in the crowd.
She landed before him, leaned close,
her dimpled smile meaningful, and whispered so only he could hear,
"You've pulled off something earth-shaking in Li City, you know."
Lin Qiye looked at her, baffled.
"Sis, what are you talking about?"
Jiang Nian giggled.
"Oh, you know."
"I really don't."
Lin Qiye was genuinely confused; he'd done so many things—was she referring to accidentally slaying the Skin-Changer Fiend, or to the massacre of over three thousand practitioners...
How could he possibly know?
So,
Jiang Nian gave Lin Qiye a curious look.
"Strange, you're not lying. So it really wasn't you?"

Lin Qiye asked earnestly, "What do you think I did?"
Jiang Nian shook her head.
"My mistake, then. Hehe."
"Be careful—neither I nor my sister would dare face a Diamond-grade Fiend Nest head-on... Whether we survive will come down to luck."
At this,
Lin Qiye smiled with confidence.
"I won't die so easily."
"That's good."
Jiang Nian patted him on the shoulder,
then joined the ranks of the Golden Practitioners, standing beside Jiang Qingxue.
After a brief ten minutes,
Song Shu surveyed the crowd.
"Twenty-three Golden Practitioners would rather not take the risk?"
"Perhaps their choice is the correct one..."
He shook his head.
"Alright, here's the plan: the Golden Practitioners and I will lead the way, clearing out any fiendish threats.
You follow close behind; today's objective is to cross the first Black Mist Marsh by daylight—one thousand miles away!
The most dangerous place is the Black Mist Marsh!
Before entering, the Golden Practitioners will explain what you must do—listen carefully! I won't repeat myself."
"Ahem! Let's go! To Star City!"
With that,
Song Shu turned and, with the Golden Practitioners, became streaks of light shooting ahead.
The Silver Practitioners and novices followed swiftly.
Lin Qiye's eyes burned with resolve.
"On my own, I might not dare approach the ruined temple outside Star City, but if it's along the way, I should try... The treasures in that temple are surely more than just a wisp of celestial energy."
With this in mind, Lin Qiye and Chen Fan blended into the ranks of Silver Practitioners, advancing with caution.
After four hours,
it was already noon.
The sun blazed overhead.
The fiends, creatures of darkness, remained hidden.
Soon,
the group neared the marsh.
At this point,
a Golden Practitioner came forward to warn them.
"Listen! We're about to enter the Black Mist Marsh!"
"These marshes are lands corrupted by fiends.
The light is dim, fiends roam, and some can move freely to attack us!"
"Inside, we'll encounter a cluster of fiendish statues!
This is crucial, so I'll say it three times: do not be curious about those statues! Do not be curious about those statues! Do not be curious about those statues!
Even a single glance could turn you into a statue in moments.
So cover your eyes and keep your gaze on the ground. No matter what happens, do not look at the statues!"
"Understood?!"
"Understood!"
The Silver Practitioners all replied in unison.
So,
The Golden Practitioners led the way.
The group approached the Black Mist Marsh.
At the edge, dense clusters of gray-white statues stood like tombstones.
"Remember! Do not be curious! Do not look up at the statues!"
The Golden Practitioners covered their eyes, staring only at the ground, and warned them again.
Yet,
Many Silver Practitioners felt an inexplicable surge of curiosity and could not resist glancing at the statues.
They saw a group of gray-white figures—
dog-headed, bull-headed, rabbit-headed, snake-headed, fish-headed—all in humanoid form with perfect musculature, but black veins bulged beneath their skin, writhing like worms.
Each statue was lifelike, its eyes shining with a seductive green light—an evil, indescribable aura that seemed to lure one into meeting its gaze.
"Brother Ye, whatever you do, don't look at the statues! Fight your curiosity—this place makes people strangely curious! I almost got caught; scared me half to death,"
Chen Fan whispered, bumping Lin Qiye's shoulder.
Lin Qiye nodded calmly.
"I know. Eyes down, watch your step."
They had barely exchanged a few words when desperate cries, screams, and wails of despair erupted all around them.
One after another, Silver Practitioners found their feet, faces, or arms turning gray and stony, gradually becoming statues.
"Ah! My feet won't move, I'm turning into a statue! No!"
"No, no, I don't want to die! I don't want to become a statue! Help! Help!"
"Someone save me, please... I don't want to die, I don't want to die!"
The desperate cries and screams were relentless, echoing everywhere, enough to make one's scalp tingle and blood run cold.
Chen Fan could not help wanting to look up,
but Lin Qiye slammed his hand down on Chen Fan's head...
...
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