Chapter 169
Chapter 169 First Entry into Huihun Town
"Move!"
With Zhao Yan's furious roar.
Click!
Xin An slammed his palm down on the red button of the main control panel.
The autopilot locked onto the chains behind them!
At the same time, he activated the self-destruct sequence!
"Ten-second countdown! Everyone, prepare to abandon the vehicle and break through!"
Xin An shouted.
"Nine!"
"Eight!"
Outside the car windows, the sound of earth being torn apart was almost upon them.
Countless Coffin Nail chains came grinding down against the fortress's armor!
"Three!"
"Two!"
"Now! Jump!!!"
Zhao Yan threw open the side hatch that had already been unlocked.
BOOM!
The moment all 5 of them leaped out of the hatch—
The Mobile Fortress immediately surged backward!
Blocking all those chains.
And simultaneously transforming into an oversized incendiary bomb!
It drove 50 meters before exploding with a thunderous blast!
The nearest grave mounds were all sent flying into the air!
"Ride the shockwave! Charge for the gate!!!"
Zhao Yan roared mid-air, borrowing the explosion's propulsive force to sprint madly toward the Soul-Return Town gate a hundred meters away!
The others each displayed their own abilities, charging forward with everything they had.
And yet, in the midst of this life-or-death sprint—
Only 1 streak of lightning broke away from the group's formation, not running toward the gate at all.
Instead, trusting in the Dragon Blood Soft Armor she wore, she actively charged toward the newly emerged chains!
It was Liu Ruyan!
"Mere guard dogs dare to block me?!"
Liu Ruyan's confidence surged to the heavens. She gripped the Bamboo Thunder Sword.
‘I feel like an unrivaled sword immortal who vanquishes demons and subdues devils!’
"As the Heavenly Path collapses, I, Liu Ruyan, have but a single sword!"
"Today I'll use you worthless scum to christen my new equipment!"
Liu Ruyan let out a sharp battle cry, the thunder light from the Bamboo Thunder Sword blazing to life, sweeping horizontally with a single strike!
Crack!
Over a dozen Coffin Nail chains coiling toward her—
Under the might of this S-Grade thunder-attribute longsword, they were truly severed clean in a single sweep, their cut ends trailing scorched black smoke.
"Haha! See that! This is my true strength! Utterly patheti—"
Liu Ruyan's triumphant laughter hadn't even finished—
ROAR!
From a deep pit no more than 3 meters in front of her, a sudden howl erupted!
The next second, a grave-guarding corpse demon over 3 meters tall—
Covered entirely in dark-green long fur—burst out from underground!
Its eyes locked onto Liu Ruyan, completely ignoring the Bamboo Thunder Sword in her hand!
One palm smashed down onto Liu Ruyan's back!
Bang!
Though the Dragon Blood Soft Armor protected Liu Ruyan's heart meridian at the most critical moment, preserving her life—
That shockwave sent Liu Ruyan flying!
She soared through the air for a full 30 to 40 meters before crashing down in front of a massive tombstone!
"Cough, cough… cough, cough, cough!"
Liu Ruyan was shaken half to death from the impact, her mouth full of soil.
She raised her head and spat out the grave dirt.
"Damn… ambushed me!"
Liu Ruyan was just about to struggle upright—
However, when her eyes swept across the bluestone tombstone before her—
Her entire body froze!
Staring at the characters carved into the tombstone and that black-and-white photograph.
【Tomb of the Late Tang Sirui of the Tang Clan】
【Years of Birth and Death: Unknown】
【Erected by: Surviving Wife, Tu Xiaowu】
"Tang… Tang Sirui?!"
Liu Ruyan went numb.
‘How could his grave appear in the burial grounds outside Soul-Return Town?!’
‘Does that mean he's already dead?’
‘And this person who erected the stele…’
‘Who is Tu Xiaowu?!’
‘How could she call herself his surviving wife?’
‘She even erected a tombstone for him out here in the outskirts of Soul-Return Town?!’
Just as Liu Ruyan's curiosity nearly drove her to try digging up his grave—
ROAR!
The grave-guarding corpse demon had already caught up!
Its massive claws came crashing down toward Liu Ruyan's stunned head!
Bang!
A sonic boom exploded directly above Liu Ruyan's head!
Yue Tian's axe-kick descended with a downward chop, striking the grave-guarding corpse demon squarely on the skull!
Crack!
The corpse demon's cranium produced a shattering sound!
It was kicked flying by Yue Tian from mid-air.
Plowing a deep trench through the ground, unable to get up for a long while!
"Spacing out on the battlefield—do you think your life is too long?!"
Yue Tian didn't even turn his head. "Get up and follow the group!"
"I… understood."
Liu Ruyan scrambled and rolled to her feet from in front of the tombstone.
Not daring to show even a trace of arrogance, she sprinted madly in the direction of the gate.
Meanwhile, the path leading toward the gate ahead was no easy road either.
Countless underground monsters awakened by the explosion went berserk, sealing off the route to the city gate.
"Shadow! Cover me!"
Zhao Yan charged at the vanguard, his battle blade unleashing sword-aura, severing several coiling chains.
"Understood!"
With every flicker of Shadow's movement, she used the Shadow Threads in her hands to bind those cursed creatures attempting to ambush Zhao Yan from behind!
"Captain! Thirty meters to the left front! There's a blind spot in the causal rules there—no underground monsters!"
Xin An, with Full Map Unlock activated, had found a narrow path to survival!
"Follow me, charge!"
Under Xin An's navigation, Zhao Yan and Shadow tore a blood-soaked path through the monster horde!
Yue Tian walked at the rear, and any cursed creature that dared approach—
Was beaten to ash by his Special-Grade physical constitution.
"In!"
At the last moment, all 5 people crossed the gate of Soul-Return Town almost simultaneously.
"Phew!"
Yet, strangely—
Those Coffin Nail chains and corpse demons that had been hunting them down, when they pursued to less than an inch from the gate threshold—
All recoiled as if in fear, retreating back underground, no longer daring to cross even half a step past that boundary.
"Hah… hah… we survived!"
Xin An sat down on the bluestone slab, his entire body looking as though it had been dragged out of water.
Zhao Yan also wiped a handful of cold sweat from his forehead.
"Is everyone alright?"
Zhao Yan checked his weapon while turning his head back.
However—
When everyone steadied their footing and raised their heads, warily taking in the interior of Soul-Return Town—
The entire Blade Squad, even including the well-traveled Yue Tian, froze.
What met their eyes was nothing like the decrepit ghost city they had imagined!
On the contrary—
Along the sides of the long bluestone streets, row upon row of festive red lanterns hung high in the air!
The shops lining both sides of the street were decked in lights and streamers; even the eaves of the buildings were draped in red silk.
Countless paper figures and townspeople dressed in festive red robes were bustling through the streets.
Seemingly making preparations for an enormously grand wedding!
The entire Soul-Return Town—lights, lanterns, and the clamor of gongs and drums!
Festive and resplendent.
And the very moment Blade Squad's 5 uninvited guests stepped across the threshold—
All the busy townspeople and paper figures on the street simultaneously halted their actions of pasting the character for "Double Happiness."
Hundreds of smiling heads turned in unison.
Staring at Blade Squad standing at the entrance.
"Welcome, honored guests, to attend…"
"Lady Phoenix Sovereign's… welcoming of the groom…"
"The day of great celebration……"
……
"All units, battle stations!!!"
Faced with this completely logic-defying scene, Zhao Yan immediately issued the combat order!
Clang! Click!
The members of Blade Squad drew their respective weapons, eyes fixed on the surrounding paper figures and townspeople.
Even the well-traveled Yue Tian's expression turned grave.
On this Eerie Island, reputed as a forbidden zone for the living, how could a place like this possibly exist—
A place that felt like a hidden paradise untouched by the world?
His instincts told him that this Soul-Return Town, seemingly filled with the warmth of human life, absolutely concealed some terrifying killing intent!
However, the next moment, something jaw-dropping happened.
After welcoming the honored guests, those townspeople and paper figures—acted just like NPCs completing some kind of check-in task—
Turned their heads back and went about their own business again!
The paper figures continued diligently carrying betrothal gift boxes tied with red silk.
The townspeople continued pasting the character for "Double Happiness" under the eaves.
As though the collective stare-down from moments ago had never existed.
"……"
Zhao Yan looked around, and after confirming there was no hostile intent from them, gave a signal.
Weapons were lowered.
"Are these things living people or cursed creatures? This Soul-Return Town is seriously bizarre!"
Zhao Yan was completely baffled.
Xin An stared at the Full Map Unlock that showed no red dots appearing, and shook his head.
"Unclear. Unable to distinguish their life status."
"Elder Yue, have you ever encountered a situation like this?"
Yue Tian withdrew his examining gaze and said in a low voice: "I've never seen anything like it in my life."
"But the more a place looks harmless, the more it won't even leave bone fragments when it consumes people."
"Everyone must exercise the utmost caution."
With the immediate crisis temporarily resolved, Shadow finally let out a breath of relief. She turned her head and looked at Liu Ruyan, who was still spacing out beside her.
"What's wrong? Were you frightened silly by that corpse demon outside just now—is your soul still not back yet?"
"You're the one who was frightened silly! That was a strategic withdrawal on my part!"
Liu Ruyan immediately shot back, then lowered her voice.
"Just now…"
"On that tombstone outside, I saw someone!"
She then told everyone exactly what had happened—that tombstone with Tang Sirui's black-and-white photograph, and the stele inscription reading 【Surviving Wife, Tu Xiaowu】.
"What?!"
Zhao Yan and Xin An's expressions changed instantly upon hearing this, their pupils shaking violently.
"That troublemaking little brat… he's dead?!"
Zhao Yan felt as though his heart had been wrenched, even stumbling back a step.
Even though Tang Sirui was a troublemaker who caused problems everywhere—
He was still the elite junior he had personally trained!
"No way! I absolutely refuse to believe it!"
Zhao Yan's eyes turned red, and he spun around fiercely.
"That kid had the entire Second Base's arsenal with him!"
"How could he just die without a sound out there?! I'm going back out to find him!"
However, when Zhao Yan turned and attempted to charge back out through the way they came—his steps halted!
"The gate… where's the gate?!"
Everyone was horrified to discover that the path they had come from—
Had vanished into thin air at some unknown point!
Replaced by a dead-end wall!
"Stay calm."
Yue Tian placed his hand on Zhao Yan's shoulder, steadying his emotions.
"A single tombstone proves nothing."
"Since that girl called Tu Xiaowu was able to erect a stele, it means things aren't that simple."
"Since we're already here, we should settle in. Right now, our top priority is to probe the truth of this Soul-Return Town."
"Find out why there are so many living people here…"
"Or rather—cursed creatures disguised as living people!"
Zhao Yan took several long, deep breaths.
"Elder's lesson is well-taken. I lost my composure."
For the sake of safety, Zhao Yan looked at the Dimensional Equipment Storage Ring on his finger and felt around inside it.
"Elder Wan even lent me these most precious reserves—I can't let him down."
Zhao Yan drew 5 black cloaks from the ring, each exuding a faint bloody odor.
"These are B-Grade Cursed Equipment, the Ghost-Warding Robes."
"They've been soaked in black dog blood, which can mask our living aura as much as possible."
"Everyone put them on quickly, and cover your faces."
Everyone nodded, swiftly donning the black robes and pulling the hoods deep down over their heads.
The 5 of them moved like ghosts through the ancient town's extremely clamorous, festively decorated streets.
On both sides of the street, the vendors' cries were unceasing.
"Steamed buns for sale! Fresh out of the steamer—meat buns! Care to have a couple, good sir?"
A vendor with a smiling face on one cheek beckoned enthusiastically to Zhao Yan.
"Finest rouge and face powder!"
"Good sir, won't you buy a set for your lady?"
Liu Ruyan, hiding within her cloak, watched this vivid marketplace scene and couldn't help muttering:
"This place…"
"It's like actually filming an ancient historical drama. Way too eerie."
Shadow said nothing, her eyes sweeping the surroundings with vigilance.
Just as they passed a candied hawthorn-on-a-stick grass vendor, her attention was briefly drawn for half a second.
And in that very gap—
A beggar, grimy from head to toe with a face smeared in black ash, bolted out from a nearby alley.
Slamming directly into Shadow's shoulder!
"Ugh!"
The beggar's strength was enormous; Shadow was actually knocked stumbling, nearly falling over.
And after colliding, that beggar not only failed to apologize—he slipped into the crowd and bolted!
Liu Ruyan quick-handedly steadied Shadow with one arm, and distastefully brushed off the smudges of ash that had gotten on her own body.
"Where did this filthy beggar come from? Can't watch where he's going?! Disgusting!"
However, the struck Shadow paid absolutely no attention to Liu Ruyan's complaints.
Her hand shot to her back—the next second, murderous intent exploded in Shadow's eyes!
"You're dead!!!"
Boom!
Accompanied by Shadow's sharp battle cry, the Sky-Devouring Hound materialized from her shadow!
Shadow flipped onto the hound's back.
Abandoning all concern for concealment, she charged straight in the direction the beggar had fled!
"Hey! Are you insane?!"
Liu Ruyan was startled by the spectacle, and muttered in bewilderment:
"Just got bumped by a beggar?"
‘Is this woman entering early menopause? She's even worse-tempered than me?’
But the very next moment, when Liu Ruyan saw Shadow's back, she realized something was wrong!
The specially-made lockbox on her back… was gone!!!
And inside that lockbox was the Dragon God's Severed Right Arm and the Watcher's Eye!!!
Swoosh!
Before Liu Ruyan could cry out in alarm, a black shadow had already swept past her!
Yue Tian didn't even say a word—both legs powering up, several bluestone slabs crushed to powder beneath his feet!
A few sharp flips, and he leaped directly onto the rooftop of a nearby building, giving chase with stomping pursuit!
"Wait for me! I'm going too!"
Liu Ruyan, refusing to be outdone, pinched the sword-seal, Bamboo Thunder Sword unsheathed, and directly rode the sword!
Transforming into a streak of lightning as she gave chase!
The street instantly erupted into chaos, townspeople scrambling in frightened evasion.
Zhao Yan, seeing the situation, anxiously drew his battle blade wanting to give chase—but was grabbed by Xin An beside him.
"Captain! Don't chase! Let's wait for them here!"
Xin An said, out of breath.
"Are you crazy?! That's the Dragon God's arm!"
Zhao Yan's eyes went wide with urgency.
But Xin An broke into a smile.
He raised a finger and pointed to his own temple, activating Full Map Unlock.
He could capture the factional energy fluctuations of every single life form.
Xin An looked at the few blue dots in his mind that were giving chase.
"Relax, Captain. Good news…"
……
At the same time, on the eaves of the buildings in Soul-Return Town—
The little beggar was absurdly fast!
Weaving through the labyrinthine eaves and alleyways.
"Little thief! Nowhere to run!"
Yet, in the face of an absolute gap in strength, all the flashy footwork was futile.
Boom!
The roof tiles exploded with a crash!
Yue Tian descended from above, having actually predicted the little beggar's landing spot!
"Get down!"
Yue Tian clamped down on the little beggar's shoulder and slammed him down hard onto the ground!
Bang!
The little beggar was pinned onto the rooftop in a sorry state, and the black lockbox in his hand also flew free.
Shadow rode the Sky-Devouring Hound, arriving in an instant, and hugged the lockbox back into her arms with great relief.
Liu Ruyan also descended on her sword, the Thunder Sword pointed at the thief on the ground.
"Got some nerve, haven't you? Even daring to steal from us!"
Liu Ruyan ground her teeth.
"Ow ow ow! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Ease up!"
"Old man, your grip is too strong! My bones are gonna break!"
The little beggar being pinned down cried out in pain while straining to lift his head.
In the intense friction of the struggle just now, much of the pot-bottom ash and mud smeared on his face had been scraped away.
Revealing a familiar and thoroughly punchable face.
When everyone got a clear look at this thief's true face, all of them froze.
"Tang… Tang Sirui?!"
Shadow cried out in shock: "Weren't you dead in the burial grounds outside?!"
"Dead in the burial grounds outside?"