Star Martial Soaring Cloud

It was a blue bird, not very big, but with exceptionally long wings, its entire body covered in emerald green feathers that shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

What's most eye-catching are its eyes. The lively pupils dart around, exuding an innate arrogance, as if it carries a spoiled "keep away" aura.

After landing, the bluebird first shook its wings to shake off the night dew clinging to its feathers. Then it raised its small head and swept its gaze over the three of them with a condescending look. Finally, its gaze settled steadily on Yuan Kong, and its dissatisfaction was almost overflowing in its tone.

"You damned monk! I've been searching for you on this wretched island for three whole days! I've climbed eight mountains, my legs are practically broken! And you, on the other hand, are hiding in this remote corner, eating and drinking like a king, having a great time!"

The voice was crisp, but carried a clear hint of dissatisfaction.

Yuan Kong quickly put down the rabbit leg, clasped his hands together, and said with a fawning expression, "Oh my, it's Little Bluebird! You've worked so hard! Come, come, have a drink to relax!"

He picked up the wine bowl and handed it over, but the bluebird turned its head away haughtily.

"Don't give me that! This is a letter from the young master to you!"

With a sudden flap of its wings, letters sealed with sealing wax floated down lightly in front of Yuan Kong.

Yuan Kong took the letter and said with a smile, "Little Bluebird, calm down, calm down. What do you want to eat? I'll prepare it for you right away! Roasted rabbit leg? Roasted pheasant? Or some refreshing vegetarian food? I guarantee it will suit your taste!"

"I'll owe you for now!" The bluebird still held its head high, its face full of arrogance. "The young master instructed that you return this letter immediately, without the slightest delay!"

Having said that, it didn't wait for Yuan Kong to speak again. It spread its wings, transformed into a streak of blue light, pierced the dark night sky, and disappeared into the night in an instant.

Wang Xiao stared at the scene, his eyes filled with confusion. He turned to look at Yuan Kong, his voice full of bewilderment: "This is... a demon race?"

"Aren't your Sumeru Sect and the demon race mortal enemies? When did your relationship become so good?" Wang Xiao pressed on.

"What kind of talk is that!" Yuan Kong rolled his eyes and retorted, "The demon race and those stinking Taoist priests are the real mortal enemies! They shout about slaying demons and eliminating evil every day, and they're quick to kill any demon they see. If a demon falls into their hands, death is the only outcome. But if they fall into the hands of our Sumeru Sect, as long as they don't break the precept against killing, they still have a chance to live! After all, our Buddhist sect is compassionate and doesn't kill indiscriminately!"

Wang Xiao looked at him with disdain, her eyes clearly saying, "Are you kidding me?": "Are you sure?"

Yuan Kong raised his head and grinned: "There are always exceptions, like me."

Wang Xiao: "..."

"This mark looks like it belongs to the Tiger Tribe?"

Su Qinhe spoke softly, her gaze falling on the wax seal on the envelope—engraved with a ferocious tiger's head, its sharp lines exuding a murderous aura.

"Fairy Su has a good eye!" Yuan Kong immediately gave a thumbs up and said with a smile, "You two must have heard the saying 'like adding wings to a tiger,' right? This bluebird is the personal messenger of Hu Yue, the young master of the Yinhu tribe, the most skilled in warfare among the twelve tribes of the demon race."

He paused, then explained to the two of them in detail: "The demon race is divided into twelve tribes, corresponding to the twelve earthly branches: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Tiger Axe is the most powerful fighter in the Tiger tribe this generation. He wields the Mountain-Splitting Axe with unparalleled skill and has earned a formidable reputation on the border. Even the top cultivators of the Daoist sect have to give him some respect."

"Judging from what you're saying, it seems like you two have a pretty good relationship?" Wang Xiao was still puzzled. "Even if the Buddhist sect and the demon race aren't mortal enemies, they shouldn't be this close, right?"

"Hey, what's the relationship? We forged it all through fighting!" Yuan Kong grinned, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Back when I was training on the border, I ran into him. We fought to the death for two whole years, from the snow-capped mountains to the Gobi Desert, from spring's fierce battles to winter's snow. Neither of us could gain the upper hand, and in the end, we developed a friendship through the fighting. Actually, not all demons are hostile to humans. As long as you can pass the Loulan-level test, can't demons also live and cultivate in the Nine Provinces?"

As he spoke, he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.

But after just one glance, the smile on Yuan Kong's face vanished without a trace. His usual playful expression completely disappeared, leaving only an unprecedented solemnity, and even the aura around him became heavy.

"What's wrong?" Wang Xiao noticed his unusual behavior and immediately asked.

Yuan Kong did not answer, but slowly unfolded the letter and handed it to Wang Xiao and Su Qinhe.

Moonlight shone on the letter, making the seven bold, ink-stained characters clearly visible.

"The northern teleportation array has changed!"

The three exchanged a glance, and their expressions instantly changed.

The teleportation array is their only way to leave the Demon Island. If something goes wrong with the teleportation array, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"Let's go!" Yuan Kong jumped to his feet, kicking out the campfire. His tone was urgent and firm. "Let's go now, not a moment to lose!"

After a seven-day trek, the three of them traveled day and night without daring to stop for even a moment.

When the three of them crossed the last mountain and arrived at the open valley where the northern teleportation array was located, the scene before them made them freeze in place.

Everywhere you look, there is devastation.

The massive array plate, originally covering an area of ​​several tens of feet and paved with millennia-old black stones, has now been shattered into countless fragments. The heavy black stones have been blown apart and scattered everywhere, some even being thrown several feet away, crashing into the mountainside and leaving deep dents.

The intricate array patterns carved on the array stones were scraped beyond recognition by a sharp weapon, leaving only jagged scratches, as if they had been brutally torn apart by wild beasts.

The charred bloodstains soaked into the surface of the black stone, turning a glaring dark red in the sunlight, a shocking sight.

Around the valley, more than a dozen cultivators lay dead, some cut in half at the waist with their internal organs spilling out; others were shriveled up, as if their life essence had been sucked dry, leaving only withered shells; still others were pinned to the mountain wall by sharp sword energy, their eyes wide open, dying with their eyes open.

Wang Xiao squatted down and carefully examined the bodies. All the corpses were already cold and stiff, and there was not a single survivor. The person who made the move had extremely high cultivation and their methods were ruthless to the extreme.

Yuan Kong, unusually, abandoned his usual playful demeanor, his expression becoming frighteningly solemn.

He clasped his hands together, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and slowly began to chant the Rebirth Mantra.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha, Tathagata Buddha, Tadyatha..."

The deep and solemn chanting echoed through the valley, and golden Buddhist light slowly emanated from him, like a gentle halo, enveloping the monks who had died tragically.

At this moment, only the solemn chanting of sutras remained in the valley, and even the mountain wind seemed to stop, silently bidding farewell to these departed souls.

Su Qinhe squatted in the very center of the array plate, her fingertips gently brushing across a huge pit in the ground—the original location of the array core, now completely empty.

Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, her fingertips trembled slightly, and even her voice carried an undisguised despair.

"How is it?" Wang Xiao walked over and asked in a deep voice.

Su Qinhe slowly shook her head, her voice trembling slightly: "Completely ruined."

She looked up at Wang Xiao and Yuan Kong, explaining word by word: "The teleportation array consists of three parts: the array plate, which is the foundation of the entire array, is paved with array stones; the array patterns, which are engraved on the array stones, are the passage connecting the Nine Provinces and the Demon Island; and the array core, which is located in the very center of the array plate, is the core of the entire array, and the enormous energy required for teleportation is supplied by the array core. Now the array plate is completely destroyed, the array patterns are completely damaged, and even the most crucial array core has vanished without a trace."

"Without the array core, even if the array plate and array patterns are intact, the teleportation array simply cannot be activated. Moreover, in its current state, there is no possibility of repair—we...we can't go back."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, poured hard on the hearts of the three people.

Wang Xiao remained silent.

He certainly understood what this meant.

All of them will be trapped on this demonic island forever, never to return to Kyushu.

The Demon Island descends once every hundred years and stays in Kyushu for a full year. If you cannot leave during this period, you will be swept away by the Demon Island and drift in the endless void, your fate unknown.

Moreover, there are countless ferocious beasts on this island; being trapped here is no different from waiting to die.

The three stared at the dilapidated teleportation array, and for a moment no one spoke. Only the wind, carrying panic, blew through the valley.

And this wind of panic eventually swept across the entire Demon Island.