Chapter 1045
Injecting New Hope
"This is... a demon god descending to earth!" Yang Ling exclaimed. He immediately summoned his disciples to prepare for battle and sent a message to friendly sects such as the Northern Dark Cloud Hidden Sect, requesting their assistance.
Before long, the entire sect entered a state of high alert and preparation for battle. The disciples each held their magical weapons and stood ready, waiting for the demon god to descend so they could launch their attack.
However, what awaited them was an unprecedentedly fierce battle. The demon god's power was beyond imagination; its attacks seemed capable of destroying everything. Led by Yang Ling and Dan Yan, the disciples fought valiantly, but still could not withstand the demon god's ferocious offensive.
At this moment, experts from allied sects such as the Beiming Yunyin Sect arrived one after another to join the battle. Their arrival injected new hope into the fight.
Under the combined attack of everyone, the demon god was gradually suppressed. However, at this moment, an even more evil aura surged from the demon god's body, instantly enveloping everyone in darkness.
"This is bad! The Demon God is about to self-destruct!" cried a master from the Northern Dark Cloud Hidden Sect.
Everyone was terrified and scattered in all directions. However, the evil aura followed relentlessly, as if it wanted to devour the entire sect.
At the critical moment, Yang Ling stepped forward, his figure flashing as he stood in front of the crowd: "Everyone, retreat immediately! I'll cover your retreat!"
After speaking, he formed a hand seal, and powerful spiritual energy surged from his body to form an indestructible barrier, blocking the evil aura.
Seeing this, everyone cast grateful glances at him and then quickly left the scene. Yang Ling gritted his teeth and struggled to maintain the barrier. He knew that if he relaxed his guard, the entire sect would be destroyed, so he did everything in his power to keep the barrier stable.
Time passed slowly, and Yang Ling felt his spiritual energy rapidly depleting, yet he remained steadfast in his position until the very last moment...
When everyone retreated to a safe area and looked back, they saw that the place where Yang Ling was was already enveloped in dazzling light, and the evil aura gradually dissipated into the air.
"Brother Yang!" Dan Yan exclaimed in alarm, immediately leading his disciples back to the scene to search for Yang Ling's whereabouts. However, when they arrived, they only saw a huge crater and ruins everywhere; there was no sign of him...
Dan Yan stood at the edge of the deep pit, his expression solemn, his heart filled with endless sorrow. He looked around at his disciples, each of whose faces were etched with worry and bewilderment.
"Brother Yang, you must return safely!" Dan Yan clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with determination.
Just then, a figure flew over from afar and landed beside Dan Yan. The newcomer was none other than the envoy of the Beiming Yunyin Sect. He was in a hurry, clearly having received an important message.
"Brother Danyan, something terrible has happened!" the messenger said breathlessly.
Dan Yan hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
The envoy took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I just learned that the leaders of those men in black, while escaping, have already contacted the forces of the Netherworld. They are plotting to attack various sects in an attempt to seize the Netherworld Profound Fire Mirror."
Upon hearing this, Dan Yan's expression changed drastically. "The Netherworld? Why would they interfere in mortal affairs?"
The envoy shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics either, but according to reliable intelligence, they seem to be coming for some powerful force. All factions have been warned and are urgently gathering manpower to prepare for a response."
Dan Yan took a deep breath, knowing this matter was no small thing. The Netherworld, as a legendary entity, possessed power far beyond mortal comprehension. If they truly intervened in mortal conflicts, the entire cultivation world would face a tremendous crisis.
"We must report to Senior Yun Feiyang immediately!" Dan Yan said.
The envoy nodded in agreement, "There's no time to lose, let's go to the research lab to find Senior Yun Feiyang." The two immediately rushed to the research lab and informed Yun Feiyang of the situation in detail. Upon hearing this, Yun Feiyang frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
“The Netherworld… these guys dare to meddle in mortal affairs!” Yun Feiyang said coldly. “It seems we must prepare for the worst.”
Dan Yan asked, "Senior, how should we deal with this?"
After a moment of contemplation, Yun Feiyang said, "First, we must strengthen our sect's defenses to ensure its safety. Second, we must find Yang Ling as soon as possible; he is a vital pillar of our sect and cannot be allowed to fall. Finally, we must unite with other sects to jointly deal with the threat from the Netherworld."
Dan Yan nodded in agreement, “What you say is absolutely right, senior. I will make the arrangements right away.”
Yun Feiyang nodded slightly. "Go quickly, we must act as soon as possible."
In the following days, the entire sect was in a tense but orderly state of preparation for war. Members accelerated their cultivation to improve their skills; at the same time, various defensive formations and traps were re-deployed and reinforced; patrol teams were also increased in number and frequency to ensure the sect's safety.
However, just as everyone was making preparations to deal with the threat from the Netherworld, another shocking piece of news arrived—Yang Ling was still alive!
This news caused a stir throughout the entire sect. Dan Yan was especially excited and went to find Yun Feiyang: "Senior! Brother Yang is still alive! I just received his communication talisman!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Feiyang was overjoyed. "Excellent! Yang Ling is safe and sound! Where is he right now?"
Dan Yan replied, "Brother Yang said he is currently hiding in a safe place to heal his injuries, so we don't need to worry. He also said he will return as soon as his injuries are fully healed."
Yun Feiyang nodded and said, "That's good. Yang Ling is an important pillar of our sect, and his return will greatly enhance our strength."
Dan Yan also said with a beaming smile, "That's right! Brother Yang's thunder magic is incredibly powerful. With him joining us, we will definitely be able to withstand the threat from the Netherworld!"
Yang Ling was currently in a dark valley, surrounded by dense demonic energy, making even the air feel heavy. Although his injuries were severe, his eyes shone with unwavering determination.
"Where exactly is this place?" Yang Ling murmured to himself, trying to recall what happened before he lost consciousness. He only remembered being struck by a powerful force, then everything went black and he lost consciousness.
Just as Yang Ling was deep in thought, a dark figure slowly emerged from the depths of the valley. Yang Ling immediately clenched his fist, ready to prepare for a surprise attack.
“You don’t need to be nervous, I mean no harm,” the shadowy figure said as he approached, his voice low and hoarse.
Yang Ling sized up the enormous black shadow before him, a slight surprise creeping into his heart. He hadn't expected such a powerful demonic beast to exist in this valley filled with demonic energy. He composed himself and asked in as calm a tone as possible, "May I ask who you are, and why you have appeared in this dark place?"
The demonic beast slowly approached Yang Ling, its eyes flashing with an eerie green light, as if it could see into people's hearts. Its voice was deep and hoarse, yet carried an indescribable majesty: "I am the guardian of this Netherworld Valley, named the Shadow Beast. I sense that the aura on your body is pure and powerful, completely different from the demonic energy of this valley."
Yang Ling was slightly taken aback, not expecting the beast to be so friendly in conversation. A warmth spread through him, and he gradually lowered his guard, communicating with the Shadow Beast: "I am Yang Ling, a person from the cultivation world. May I ask why you are here guarding this valley?"
A look of reminiscence flashed across the Shadow Beast's eyes as it slowly said, "This valley is the border between the Netherworld and the mortal realm. Although there is a boundary between the two realms, there is occasional interaction between them. I was dispatched by the Netherworld to guard this area and ensure that the mortal realm is not disturbed by the Netherworld."
Upon hearing this, Yang Ling's mind stirred. Remembering the crisis facing his sect, he couldn't help but ask, "How is the leader of the men in black able to contact the Netherworld? What exactly are they plotting?" (End of Chapter)