Chapter 996: A Great Calamity Approaches

With a single punch, everything fell silent.

Bai Piaopiao and Su Jie watched in stunned silence, completely overwhelmed by the terrifying scene!

It took them a long time to regain their composure, their hearts still trembling with fear. They were deeply shaken by the sheer power they had witnessed, unable to believe what they had just seen. They were utterly speechless!

Yi Feng, on the other hand, stood frozen in place, his fist still raised in mid-air, his smile stiff on his face...

Looking at the barely breathing figure lying in the deep crater, as if they had just been admitted to the ICU, Yi Feng's lips twitched.

He hadn't even aimed his punch at this pretty boy, and yet the guy had already collapsed like this?

What the hell!

He had just been playing along with the atmosphere, putting on a show, and now the guy was done for?

What happened to the ancient family's legacy? What happened to their strongest trump card?

Yi Feng never expected this. He thought he could apply some pressure, make this pretty boy tense up and fight back. But instead, he had just put on a show, and the guy had crumbled like dry leaves!

What a joke!

A complete and utter joke!

All the anticipation he had built up over time had just vanished into thin air.

The more Yi Feng looked at the scene, the angrier he became. His eyes were filled with frustration, as if he were looking at a piece of unpolished jade.

He retracted his stance and strode forward, his anger boiling over.

But when he reached the edge of the deep crater and looked down, he saw Gu Qingcheng, now unrecognizable, missing several teeth, his eyes filled with terror, gasping for breath like a dying dog. Gone was the arrogance he had once displayed.

His weak eyes were completely consumed by fear, and the moment he saw Yi Feng, it was as if he had seen a devil. His entire body trembled!

"I... I... I am the eldest son of the Gu family! You can't kill me! You can't kill me!"

Tears of fear streamed down his face. It was hard to believe that this was a Saint. At this moment, he looked more like a pitiful beggar, his mind shattered by the terror he had experienced.

The more arrogant he had been before, the more pitiful he looked now. His fighting spirit was practically nonexistent. There was no way he could put up a fight.

Bai Piaopiao felt no pity for him. Gu Qingcheng had brought this upon himself. However, hearing his words, she couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. She glanced at Yi Feng.

"Yi Feng, the Gu family does have a formidable background..."

Su Jie was more direct, nodding coldly in agreement.

"That's right. The Gu family has many hidden old monsters. If you kill this spoiled brat, you'll never have peace. Even with your high cultivation, you won't be able to withstand endless harassment."

"Even though he's a Saint, he's nothing compared to those old monsters. Even you might find it hard to deal with them."

The warnings came one after another, both women clearly worried for Yi Feng.

Yi Feng, too, fell into deep thought, as if he had been shaken by the mention of the Gu family's power.

After a few moments, he finally spoke, his tone serious.

"Is your Gu family really that powerful?"

Gu Qingcheng's expression shifted, a glimmer of hope appearing on his panicked face. He quickly seized the opportunity to speak, using every ounce of strength he had left.

"Of... of course! Our Gu family has several ancestors. Ordinary Saints aren't even worthy of carrying their shoes! If you dare to harm me...!"

Before he could finish, a dagger pierced through his chest, leaving him with a look of utter disbelief. He slowly looked down, his life fading away...

As his vision blurred, Gu Qingcheng couldn't believe that Yi Feng had actually dared to kill him. He had lived a life of arrogance and indulgence, but this was the first time he had truly experienced the cruelty of the world. And it had cost him his life.

Witnessing all of this, Bai Piaopiao and Su Jie were also shocked, their expressions grave.

Yi Feng had acted so decisively!

But upon further reflection, although Yi Feng's actions seemed somewhat reckless, it didn't seem like he had much of a choice.

At least, for a man with such a resolute heart, decisive action wasn't out of character.

Having experienced countless life-and-death situations, the two women didn't hesitate either.

When Yi Feng returned, Bai Piaopiao spoke firmly.

"Yi Feng, since this is your decision, I will always support you. No matter what happens in the future, we'll face it together!"

Su Jie, holding her sword, nodded with a sense of loyalty.

"That's right. We'll stand together!"

Seeing the determination in their eyes, Yi Feng felt a warmth in his heart. It was said that friendships forged in life-and-death situations were the most precious. Companions willing to face adversity together were truly rare in this world.

Although he rarely killed, this Gu guy really deserved it.

It was one thing to target him, but threatening his friends and family was crossing the line.

And the Gu family, with their supposedly powerful background, might just be the lifeline Yi Feng needed.

But he couldn't drag these two women into this.

How could he find a way to send Bai Piaopiao and Su Jie away?

Just as Yi Feng was pondering this, Bai Piaopiao and Su Jie suddenly pulled out their communication jade slips. After scanning them with their divine sense, both women's expressions turned grave, their eyes filled with concern.

Before Yi Feng could ask, Bai Piaopiao spoke, her voice strained.

"Yi Feng, the Tianxia Association has issued an urgent order. We must return immediately!"

She hesitated for a moment, then added, "Even though your cultivation is impressive, you must take care of yourself. Be cautious in everything you do."

"I don't want to part with you like this, but this matter concerns the Black Domain and threatens the lives of all realms. As Saints, Su Jie and I have a duty to fulfill."

"Yi Feng..."

Seeing Bai Piaopiao's reluctance to speak further, Yi Feng could feel the depth of her concern. He was deeply moved, and his feelings for her grew stronger.

He nodded seriously and bid them farewell with a respectful gesture.

"Miss Bai, Miss Su, you must take care as well. When we meet again, we'll share a drink and celebrate. No matter where you are, I will come to welcome you!"

Bai Piaopiao's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her reluctance to part growing stronger. But she bit her lip and nodded, then with a wave of her hand, she and Su Jie vanished into the void.

Watching their hurried departure, Yi Feng let out a long sigh.

Although he felt a bit of sadness at their parting, this was for the best. He just hoped that if he ever encountered the Gu family again, there wouldn't be any more trouble. He was exhausted.

But recalling Bai Piaopiao's words and the urgency with which they had left, Yi Feng couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. It seemed like a great calamity was approaching.

What could it be that required the summoning of Saints?

It seemed that a great calamity was about to befall the world.

Perhaps it was even related to the calamity the system had mentioned!

...

The black mist connecting various regions stretched endlessly.

In one desolate valley, shrouded in perpetual darkness, the air was thick with the stench of blood. Bones littered the ground, and a cold wind howled, making the place seem even more terrifying than the legendary underworld.

The ground was covered with the remains of corpses, piled near ancient tombs. Flesh and blood were slowly dissolving, seeping into the black soil. Judging by the quality of the clothing on the bones, these had once been powerful and esteemed human cultivators.

Even the faint remnants of their aura were incredibly strong.

Yet, these bones had become mere nourishment for the endless darkness of the tombs, their vitality and flesh visibly dissipating.

Around them, countless black-robed skeletons moved mechanically, collecting the remains and discarding the useless remnants of clothing. They were the servants of death, the lowest-ranking minions of the demon race.

Despite their lowly status, the countless shadowy figures exuded a powerful aura, drifting like ghosts as they devoutly served the tombs, absorbing the essence of bones and blood.

For an ordinary immortal, stepping into this place would be like a lamb entering a pack of wolves.

Everything was eerily strange, more terrifying than any so-called forbidden zone of life!

"Ugh...!"

A final, unwilling cry echoed as another young prodigy vanished, leaving only his clothes as proof that he had once existed.

The air was thick with the stench of decay and death. Even Saints wouldn't dare to enter this place lightly. The sky was filled with swirling black mist, and the endless rows of tombs emitted terrifying shadows.

One.

Two.

Three.

...

The black mist continued to gather, and the tombs began to tremble.

A hoarse voice rang out, as if it had traveled across ancient times, echoing from the depths of the earth. It was so ancient that it sent shivers down the spine.

"Hehe..."

"Finally, I have awakened..."

"This day, I have waited for so long!"

"Unfortunately, my cultivation hasn't fully recovered. I can't yet step into the various realms. It's truly agonizing!"

...

The hoarse voice grew clearer, and the black mist surged from the tombs, coalescing into several figures of varying heights and auras, each exuding immense power. The mere presence of their aura caused the demon servants to kneel in unison.

The figures were all cloaked in black robes that seemed to have weathered the passage of time, their killing intent palpable. Compared to them, Saints were nothing but ants!

Among the shadowy figures, the shortest one stood out as the leader.

This figure solidified and spoke, silencing the other demons with a single sentence.

"Enough!"

"If it weren't for the Demon Lord's divine intervention, we wouldn't have had the chance to see the light of day again. Your words are disrespectful and warrant the destruction of your souls!"

At the mention of the Demon Lord, the other figures immediately bowed.

"Forgive us, Demon Lord...!"

Only when the short figure nodded coldly did the demons dare to rise slowly. Their ghostly forms became visible, their eyes filled with reverence, and they began to praise and honor the Demon Lord.

"Indeed, if it weren't for the Demon Lord, we wouldn't have had the chance to awaken!"

"Yes, over the millennia, the Demon Lord has carefully orchestrated everything, allowing us to preserve our remnants. Now, after absorbing the essence and cultivation of countless human prodigies, we have finally awakened!"

"The Demon Lord's kindness is like a second life. We are willing to die for him!"

"We are willing to die for him!"

"The demon race will rise again!"

Amid the chorus of praise, several demons revealed their true forms.

There was a giant with the head of an ox, a skeletal figure with half a human face, a scholar-like figure, and a humanoid tree rooted in the ground...

As the demons rejoiced, the short skeleton noticed fragments of demon corpses scattered around.

At a glance, the dismembered remains were almost unrecognizable, but the lingering demonic energy confirmed that they were indeed demons—perhaps even fellow awakened ones!

The short skeleton floated over, his half-flesh, half-bone face filled with shock.

"How is this possible...?"

The strange sight drew the attention of the other demons, and murmurs of suspicion began to spread.

"How strange!"

"We are all under the Demon Lord's command, one hundred and eight in total, spanning across the ages. How could one of us have died and shattered like this?!"

"Indeed! We are among the stronger ones, and we've only just awakened. How could he have awakened so early and then been reduced to fragments? It's bizarre!"

"Could it be that he was forcibly awakened by some human heretic?"

"Impossible! Humans are inherently weak. Since ancient times, they've been nothing but nourishment for our demon race. There's no way they could enter the Black Domain. Even Saints can't withstand the demonic mist!"

...

The murmurs of suspicion grew into a wave of unease, and the demons were all gripped by doubt.

The half-faced skeleton frowned, then pointed a finger, sending several strands of black mist into the air.

Within moments, a tide of skeletons surged from all directions, covering the area like a black sea. They knelt around the tombs, their numbers endless, bowing in devout worship.

The half-faced skeleton spoke in a hoarse, terrifying voice.

"What exactly happened here!?"