The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 3225 Another one popped up

The darkness in the valley is always very unsettling.

That kind of black was not the dim, hazy darkness of the moonlit mountains, nor the gloom of dark clouds covering the sky, but a thick, ink-like darkness that seemed to devour everything.

Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing stood side by side in front of the barrier, their expressions solemn.

The two had just rested briefly when they rushed here.

Although the shadowy figure has been killed, the situation of everyone trapped in this strange valley has not improved. On the contrary, they are trapped here by the barrier and it is even more dangerous to get out.

They clung to a sliver of hope—perhaps the monster was the key to maintaining the barrier, and now that the shadowy figure was dead, would the cage that had trapped them crumble as well?

"One more time," Qian Ying said in a deep voice, a faint blue light emanating from the innate short sword in his hand.

Zhou Zixing nodded, clenching his fists, his innate energy surging through his meridians like a tide.

"boom!"

Sword energy surged like a rainbow, and fist force roared like thunder. The full-force attacks of two innate masters simultaneously slammed into the barrier. The transparent barrier rippled violently, with countless rays of light swirling and flickering.

Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing held their breath, staring intently at the changes in the barrier.

A few breaths later, the light gradually dimmed, the runes slowly disappeared, and the barrier returned to its calm and steadfast state, separating them from the outside world.

"Damn it!" Qian Ying slammed his innate short sword into the barrier, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, his eyes filled with disappointment and anxiety.

He had thought the barrier would collapse after the shadowy figure was killed. But now that the shadowy figure was dead, the barrier remained intact.

Zhou Zixing slowly withdrew his fist and sighed, "It seems that the dark figure is not the core of the barrier. This barrier probably has other secrets."

The two remained silent for a long time, as the night wind howled, bringing a chill. They gazed at the invisible barrier, a sense of powerlessness welling up within them.

They couldn't get out, no matter what they did, they couldn't get out. This valley was like a giant cage, and they were nothing more than trapped beasts waiting to be slaughtered.

"Let's go back first." Qian Ying patted Zhou Zixing's shoulder, her voice tinged with weariness. "We'll discuss this further tomorrow at dawn."

Zhou Zixing gritted his teeth and nodded. The two turned and left, their figures gradually disappearing into the thick darkness.

Unbeknownst to them, the instant they turned around, something moved slightly in the shadows behind them.

Meanwhile, outside the hall where everyone was resting, darkness surged like a tide.

A dark figure quietly appeared.

It seemed to have been formed directly from the night, silent, without a breath, and without even a trace of killing intent. Those scarlet eyes slowly opened in the darkness, like two ghostly flames, coldly watching the warriors gathered around the bonfire not far away.

The shadowy figure began to move.

Its movements were extremely strange; it neither walked nor ran, but rather slid silently along the shadows on the ground like a flowing blob of ink. Wherever it passed, the darkness grew even denser, as if even the firelight retreated in fear.

Everyone assumed the shadowy figure had been eliminated. This assumption became a fatal oversight.

The originally meticulous security measures had long since been relaxed, and no one was still standing with their backs to the fire and facing outwards into the darkness to guard against a sneak attack from the shadows.

All the warriors lowered their guard, exposing their most vulnerable backs to the endless night.

Around the campfire, the martial artists sat or lay down in various postures. After all, the flames could provide them with a sense of security, warmth, and comfort at times.

Some people spoke in hushed tones; others remained silent, staring blankly at the flickering flames, the firelight shimmering in their pupils but unable to illuminate the gloom in their eyes; still others looked up at the inky night sky, staring at nothing, yet stubbornly searching for a glimmer of hope.

Although the shadowy figure was eliminated today, the horrific fate of the several post-natal level ten martial artists remained a thorn deeply embedded in everyone's hearts. The shocking corrosive wounds on their bodies, their heart-wrenching screams, and the acrid stench permeating the air—all were vividly remembered, sending chills down one's spine.

Fear and exhaustion weighed heavily on them, making it hard to breathe. All they wanted was to endure the long night and wait for dawn.

A martial artist from the Ouyang family leaned against the fire, his eyes closed, emitting soft snores. He was utterly exhausted; ever since entering this eerie valley, his mind had been on high alert, and now that he had relaxed, he had unknowingly drifted into a light sleep.

His head was tilted slightly, the firelight casting flickering shadows on his face, and a relaxed smile played on his lips. He dreamt of the wheat fields of his hometown, of his wife's gentle smile, of his two children running and playing in the fields…

What he didn't dream of was that, in the darkness behind him, two pitch-black arms were slowly reaching out.

The arm had no skin, no flesh, as if formed from pure darkness, its surface shimmering with an eerie glow. Ten long, sharp fingers, each gleaming with a chilling light, were silently approaching him…

"Crack!"

A sharp, teeth-grinding crack rang out, particularly jarring in the silent night air.

Those jet-black arms twisted and gripped the martial artist's head like a noose, then twisted violently! The sound of bones breaking was clearly audible. The martial artist from the Ouyang family didn't even have time to scream before his body went limp and he collapsed. His head was tilted to one side at an eerie angle, the smile on his face still lingering, before his life was gone.

"what--!"

Several exclamations rang out simultaneously, tearing apart the stillness of the night like thunderclaps! All the martial artists were awakened at that moment.

"Roar--!"

A deafening, inhuman roar erupted!
The dark figure neither dodged nor evaded; instead, it opened its mouth wide and let out a roar. Its mouth was gaping open, almost taking up half of its face; there was no tongue, no throat, only endless darkness and two points of scarlet light. The roar was filled with boundless savagery and mockery, as if announcing its return.

Then, it swept its scarlet eyes across all the martial artists present.

That gaze was cold and cruel, like it was eyeing a flock of lambs to the slaughter. Every martial artist whose gaze swept over them felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their head, as if the blood in their body had frozen in that instant.

Then, the shadowy figure began to retreat.

Its movements were unhurried, even somewhat mocking, as it slowly retreated into the darkness. The thick night, like a curtain welcoming its master, parted to the sides, ready to engulf it once more.

"You beast, die!" A thunderous roar erupted!

Qian Ying, who was on his way back, saw this scene from afar and his eyes widened in horror and anger. Before he could think about why the dark figure had come back to life, he shot forward like an arrow!