Tang Wei felt his hands and feet growing cold, despair swirling in his heart. "They're coming, they're coming." Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He had set out from home with the intention of proving to his father that mortals could rely on themselves rather than cultivators to protect themselves. He hoped that his father, who was lost in the world of celestial arts, could awaken from his daze.
At this moment, he felt chaotic within, fearing that his secret might be unveiled by Bai Qiuran. "Bai Qiuran."
"Brother Tang, it's good that you're fine. Please don't misunderstand; my preferences are very normal, and I have no interest in men," Bai Qiuran replied dismissively.
Tang Wei was clearly tense, his heart pounding as he tried to maintain composure. Bai Qiuran scoffed, effortlessly pulling Tang Wei along, sending out streams of True Qi with a single hand. With a wave, two corpse demons were obliterated. However, due to the delay, the ground beneath them was precarious; Bai Qiuran had no time to adjust his stance. Tang Wei could only gather the last remnants of his True Qi to shield both of them.
"Here they come!"
"Ah, ah, ahhhhh!"
"How vast is this hollow space?" Tang Wei wondered, recalling the recent reports about demons causing havoc near Mang Mountain.
Upon hearing the commotion, he rushed over. "Brother Tang," Bai Qiuran called, suddenly glancing down and looking back at Tang Wei with a somewhat complicated expression. "Brother Tang, we might have a little trouble now..."
Tang Wei had used oil to ignite peach wood, successfully summoning flames that drove the corpse demons from their lair, weakening them in the process. But then, the floor could no longer bear the strain of their clash and collapsed with a deafening roar.
Following accounts from nearby villagers and comparing them to ancient texts he had previously studied, Tang Wei confirmed that the demons were at a high level of Qi Refinement, their power rivaling that of elders from major martial sects. Although these demons were dangerous, if numbers were sufficient, martial artists could contend with them.
After spending considerable funds and sacrificing many personal belongings, Tang Wei had gathered a group of martial experts ranging from Body Refinement to Qi Refinement, preparing to march into the mountains to eradicate the demons.
As the dust settled, Tang Wei turned to a nearby wall, where only a bottomless palm print remained, with the figures of the two corpse demons already vanished; it seemed they had turned to dust.
"Don’t just stare, lend me a hand! My True Qi is gone!" Tang Wei exclaimed, his hands clammy as he gripped his sword tightly, tapping into the last of his Qi Sea.
Then he heard Bai Qiuran's calm voice. "See, Brother Tang? We're both down now."
Though Tang Wei lacked experience in the martial world, he wasn’t foolish. While raising funds, he had collected intelligence about the demons, balancing the strengths of both sides. Suddenly, a gust of force surged, and Tang Wei gasped as he saw another corpse demon blocked by Bai Qiuran. "Another corpse demon? How many are there?"
"How vast is this hollow space?" he repeated, troubled.
With reports of chaos around Mang Mountain, he had raced here without hesitation. The ground shook, stones and dirt crashing down as he tried to protect himself.
Again, his studies and the villagers’ words confirmed that the demon was indeed a high-level Qi Refiner, posing risks akin to those seen in elite martial sects. It seemed that although these demons posed a threat, a sufficient number of people could stake their claim against them.
Suddenly feeling warmth in his chest, Tang Wei glanced down, realizing Bai Qiuran's palm was pressed against him, stabilizing his body. Gasping, his group was heavily struck. Among the Body Refinement experts, two were swiftly defeated by two corpse demons. The remaining Qi Refiners struggled, one by one, dragged off and torn apart.
Tang Wei's hands and feet turned cold with despair. "Brother Tang, it’s good that you’re fine; please don’t misunderstand. My preferences are very much normal. I’m not interested in men."
"Brother, are you alright?"
"Looks like we have a bit of trouble..." Bai Qiuran murmured as he noticed Tang Wei's distress.
After gathering enough people and preparing peach wood and oil—what the demons feared most—Tang Wei led his group into the fray. But despair engulfed him again.
With the ground teetering on the edge of collapse, he heard Bai Qiuran's calm voice amidst the chaos. "Since I'm here and have heard of the demons, I can't return empty-handed. My master would kill me for it."
Bai Qiuran kicked away a demon entangling him and leaped over collapsed debris to grasp Tang Wei's hand. Their eyes met, full of anxiety.
After spending three days searching, they finally found the demons’ lair.
Bai Qiuran’s sharp voice called again, "Brother Tang, you must be cautious. The ground we’re on might not hold up much longer...”
Suddenly, with the growing tension, cracks spiderwebbed beneath their feet, expanding rapidly.
And again, from the shadows, two more corpse demons leapt at them, eager to claim their lives.
Yet, at the critical moment, a tremendous force emanated from the cave’s depths, bringing with it an unmistakable wave of energy that caused everything around them to tremble, forcing Tang Wei to brace himself for impact.
From the dark emerged two more, relentless in their pursuit. With the battle raging, mere survival began to be a challenge.
Turmoil filled Tang Wei's heart as he faced a truth he wished to hide, fearful of Bai Qiuran discovering his secret.