Chapter Forty-Six: The Aura of Darkness

As Chen Mu charged toward Gu Qingtai, the disciples of the Azure Path Sect immediately unleashed their spells against him. The sheer number of attacks overwhelmed him, and he was instantly blasted into a state of severe injury—even with the protective power of Yang essence surrounding him. Had the residual Yang energy not enveloped his body, he would have been reduced to ashes.

Struggling to sit up, Chen Mu bled from seven orifices, his face twisted into a ghastly visage as he glared menacingly at Gu Qingtai. He tried to crawl forward, but his strength failed him, and he collapsed helplessly to the ground.

A sense of powerlessness seeped into every fiber of Chen Mu's being. He understood now: only with strength could one escape the grip of others; only with strength could one control their own fate; only with strength could one protect those close to them; only with strength could one shatter this prison named weakness.

"You must die, all of you must die!" Chen Mu murmured through distorted features, staring at Gu Qingtai.

An overwhelming desire for vengeance, fury, and hatred surged within him, his mind consumed with thoughts of destroying the three sects. This obsession became the driving force that urged him to rise.

He attempted to stand, but his legs were twisted and deformed, and bone spurs protruded visibly.

Seeing Chen Mu in such a state, Chen Feng cried out in anguish, "Mu, that's enough! Rest now. Our Qingyun Mountain Sect will protect you!"

Gu Qingtai looked at Chen Feng with icy indifference. "Disciples of Qingyun Mountain Sect, you would do well not to interfere. If you anger me, the Azure Path Sect will leave you all trapped in this secret realm. Rest assured, we won’t kill Chen Mu; there are things I need to extract from him."

At that moment, the royal family arrived. A young man in splendid attire led a group of royal scions to the Yellow Springs Pool.

"Brother Gu, what a lively scene. Is this the disciple from Starwatch Valley you’ve been searching for? He looks quite ordinary to me—seeing you muster so many forces... I heard from elders in the clan that you intend to destroy Starwatch Valley. I suppose you’ve succeeded? Congratulations, indeed." The young noble greeted them with a beaming smile.

Gu Qingtai, recognizing the newcomer as a royal scion, reverted to his usual genial demeanor. "So it is the Third Prince. Many thanks for your concern, Your Highness. Gu offers his respects."

"Ah, calling me Your Highness is far too formal. Just call me Brother Xiahou," the young man replied.

This was Xiahou Chong, the Third Prince of the Great Xia Empire.

Chen Mu had heard rumors that the royal family had tacitly approved the Azure Path Sect and the other two sects’ attack on Starwatch Valley. He glared at Xiahou Chong with a twisted expression, thinking that if he managed to survive this hellish place, aside from the three sects, the royal family would also be marked for his revenge.

Xiahou Chong noticed Chen Mu’s gaze and was displeased. “What’s with that look, boy? Do you hate us in the royal family as well? Quite bold!”

“Is this brat planning to take on the royal family too? He can barely handle the Azure Path Sect, yet he wants to provoke even stronger enemies?”

“You little bastard! Have you eaten tiger’s courage? How dare you glare at someone from the royal family?” A young noble in ornate robes strode up to confront Chen Mu.

Chen Mu said nothing, only staring back coldly.

His attitude further enraged the royal scions, who began to rain blows and kicks upon him.

Chen Mu remained silent, enduring the royal scions’ brutal beating without resistance. He was far too weak to fight back, but the suppressed emotions in his heart grew ever stronger, as if a demon within whispered ceaselessly.

Chen Feng tried to intervene, but was stopped by Mo Liang. They could stand up to the Azure Path Sect, but offending the royal family would only endanger the Qingyun Mountain Sect’s place in Great Xia.

The royal scions eventually grew tired and stopped to rest. Chen Mu lifted his head, his face still twisted, and spat a mouthful of blood onto the face of the noble in ornate robes.

The noble erupted in a frenzy, “How dare you dirty my face!? Guards! Kill him! Kill him!”

Just as the royal scions raised their blades to behead Chen Mu, a terrifying aura radiated out from him, spreading like a shockwave.

Everyone was forced to their knees, trembling. The aura belonged to someone above the Core Formation realm.

“Woodhead, you really are stubborn. Couldn’t you just yield for once? Revenge must wait until we get out!” A clear, graceful voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

A small, pristine white fox appeared before them, its head adorned with dragon horns, exuding an irresistible charm. Yet no one dared call it cute—its oppressive aura struck terror into every heart. This little fox was none other than Rou’er, concealed within Chen Mu’s spirit beast bracelet.

Rou’er looked at Chen Mu, whose body was battered and broken, her heart aching with rage and sorrow. She had not expected this child to be so reckless with himself.

She turned, her voice cold, “You little brats dare to do this to Chen Mu! Today, none of you will leave this place!”

Just as Rou’er was about to act, Chen Mu’s body began to undergo a strange transformation. The emotional suppression within him reached a critical point; his mind seemed to shatter, releasing a torrent of slaughter, hatred, anger, and resentment. The black bead in his consciousness responded, whirling frantically as it began to gather energy.

No one else noticed, but Rou’er sensed it—a destructive force was brewing, and if unleashed, most people here would perish, herself being the only possible survivor.

“Not good!” She reacted swiftly and rushed toward the Qingyun Mountain Sect disciples, shielding Chen Mu’s elder brother and the others. Although they had never met Rou’er, her divine sense had long been probing, so she knew who they were.

The black bead was wreathed in dark mist, a power of annihilation enveloped Chen Mu and spread outward. The crowd barely understood what was happening before the black mist engulfed them.

Those closest to Chen Mu were touched by the mist. At first, nothing seemed amiss, but soon their bodies began to decay, slowly turning to dust and vanishing without a trace.

As they watched their bodies dissolve, panic swept the crowd, fear spreading like wildfire. Rou’er had already withdrawn her oppressive aura, but the disciples afflicted by the black mist fell into chaos.

“My hand! My hand!”

“What’s happening? My foot is gone, my foot is gone!”

“I can’t see—what’s happened to my eyes?”

“Am I dying? I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”

“Help me! Someone save me!”

The black mist corroded ever faster; many turned to ashes and disappeared, including the royal scions closest to Chen Mu.

Xiahou Chong, the Third Prince, stood farther back and thus survived. He knelt, legs trembling, watching as lives were snuffed out before his eyes.

It wasn’t only life that was destroyed—a small pit appeared beneath Chen Mu, also eaten away by the black mist. The surrounding grass and plants turned to powder and vanished.

More than a dozen Azure Path Sect disciples in the front ranks were annihilated, while those in the rear, including Gu Qingtai, stared in stunned terror at their sectmates’ sudden disappearance.

What was this power? Just its emanation wiped out the crowd—was this truly the cultivation world they knew?

Screams and pleas echoed ceaselessly. No one dared approach Chen Mu; at this moment, he was like a devil—capable of taking lives with a mere gesture.

Even Rou’er was shocked. She could not identify this power—what kind of force could even a being from the Immortal Domain fail to recognize?

Fortunately, this power was only a faint spark. Otherwise, even she could not withstand such annihilation.

Chen Feng and Mo Liang stared at Chen Mu in a daze. The scene was too bizarre and overwhelming; the black mist had destroyed over half the forces of the three sects, with some survivors protected only by others standing before them.

Chen Feng realized that this little fox must be familiar with Chen Mu and asked, “Senior, how is Chen Mu now? Is he all right?”

“Your brother’s physical injuries are severe, but his spirit has suffered an even greater blow. I suspect he’s been holding it in for days,” Rou’er replied.

Chen Feng fell silent. Indeed, ever since Chen Mu learned he was responsible for Starwatch Valley’s destruction, he had been dazed and muttering to himself. Now, his suppressed emotions had finally exploded.

Rou’er continued, “When you leave, try not to associate with us. So many have died—this is no longer just enmity with the three sects and the royal family, but with all sects. I believe Chen Mu wouldn’t want you dragged into this.”

Thus, Rou’er seized the opportunity to carry Chen Mu into a Yellow Springs Pool, setting up a barrier and using the pool’s rich energy to heal him.

Chen Mu’s consciousness was empty; he did not activate the black bead’s life force for self-healing. His will to live was shattered, and he seemed to reject the black bead’s healing, so Rou’er relied on her own power to mend his broken body.

After Chen Mu released the black mist, he fell unconscious. Rou’er brought him to the Yellow Springs Pool, and he slept deeply.

Rou’er realigned his dislocated bones and began healing him; the energy stimulated Chen Mu’s flesh to recover quickly, though internal injuries remained difficult to treat.

Thanks to the pool’s effects, impurities and stagnant blood were slowly expelled from Chen Mu’s body, greatly aiding Rou’er’s healing efforts.

There were seven days left before they could leave. Those consumed by the black mist were long gone; the survivors watched numbly as Chen Mu gradually healed, none daring to disturb him.

After all, Rou’er’s terrifying strength was plain to see—approaching was tantamount to courting death. Who would dare target Chen Mu now? Only after they left could the sects’ Core Formation masters intervene.

And so, time passed.