Batian Martial Soul

Chapter 14563 Weird place

The scene inside the city became increasingly eerie and terrifying.

As far as the eye could see, the vast emptiness concealed no architectural outlines. Only the smooth, mirror-like dark ground stretched endlessly into the distance, its material resembling solidified star core iron, gleaming with a cold, hard metallic luster, reflecting the darkness of the void. Stepping on it produced a dull hum, as if triggering some ancient restriction.

The gray-robed old man who had led the way earlier followed silently a few feet behind, his aura completely concealed, like a lifeless stone statue.

An invisible pressure enveloped him like a tide, not from superior cultivation, but from a suffocating feeling stemming from the rules themselves, making Ling Xiao's breathing slightly labored.

"Senior, this place..."

Ling Xiao looked around and subconsciously extended his divine sense, only to be blocked by an invisible barrier, which aroused many doubts in his heart.

"You'll know soon enough."

The woman in white didn't stop walking and led him straight to the city center.

On the ground ahead, two distinctly different rings of light were clearly embedded. The ring on the left was as fiery as churning blood flames, its red light blazing and faintly exuding a murderous aura, as if it could burn away one's soul; the ring on the right was as deep as an ancient well, its black light heavy and its stillness chilling, as if it could devour all life.

The two rings of light were clearly distinct, yet they intertwined at the edges, creating faint gray ripples that conveyed an eerie balance.

"choose one."

She was concise and to the point, her tone leaving no room for argument.

What is the difference between the two?

Ling Xiao frowned. A decision made so solemnly by the white-robed senior was by no means an easy one.

"Choose one."

The woman in white's eyes flickered slightly, offering no further explanation, as if testing his decisiveness.

Ling Xiao's gaze lingered between the red and black for a moment. The malevolent energy churning within the blood-red halo resonated faintly with his newly formed demonic soul. His intuition told him that it was closer to the essence of "tempering" and more in line with the path of a demon cultivator.

Without further hesitation, he raised his hand and pointed to the blood-red halo.

"I choose this."

The woman in white nodded slightly, her tone calm.

"Go in."

The moment Ling Xiao stepped into the circle of light, his body suddenly felt light, followed by a strong sense of etherealization, as if his soul was about to separate from his body.

"Senior! What exactly is this place...?"

He hurriedly turned around to ask, but before he could finish speaking, the crimson light suddenly surged, like a ferocious beast with its jaws wide open, instantly engulfing his figure.

"Get out alive."

The white-clad woman's clear, cold voice pierced through the light barrier, carrying a distant, empty quality as it reached Ling Xiao's ears.

The white figure turned around, looked at the gray-robed old man behind him, and his tone returned to its previous indifference.

"Lead the way and introduce us to the owner of this place."

“Your Excellency, please come with me.”

The old man bowed deeply in agreement, his posture extremely respectful. Then, he raised his hand and waved his hand, revealing a hidden door on the ground. The two figures simultaneously sank into it and disappeared without a trace.

……

It felt like an eternity of falling, yet also like a fleeting moment.

Ling Xiao's feet suddenly felt solid, and he staggered back two steps before regaining his balance.

Looking around, the night was thick and dark, without stars or moon. Only a faint gray glow appeared on the distant horizon, barely outlining the surrounding scenery. Ahead was the outline of a small village shrouded in darkness, with a few weak lights flickering deep within the village. The dim yellow light could not dispel the deathly silence, but instead added to the eerie and desolate atmosphere.

His heart sank suddenly, and he instantly realized something was wrong: his divine sense was like being trapped in a quagmire. Not to mention exploring outside his body, even his internal vision of his sea of ​​consciousness became extremely sluggish; the demonic energy that was originally flowing endlessly within his body was now completely still, like a frozen pool, and he could not sense even the slightest bit of it; even the mysterious connection with the Demon Needle Space was completely severed, as if it had never existed!

Ling Xiao's mind raced. He tried to summon the demon needles with his mind, but there was no response. He then tried to activate his physical body's energy, but he only felt weak power, no different from that of an ordinary person who had never cultivated!

He actually became an ordinary person, without internal energy, magic treasures, or a strong physique. Even his body, which had been tempered and refined over thousands of years, was suppressed to a mortal level by the rules!

What exactly was the purpose of the white-robed elder sending him here?

Ling Xiao frowned, forcibly suppressing the shock and panic in his heart. The composure he had gained from the initial formation of his demonic soul came into play at this moment. He focused his mind and carefully observed his surroundings, trying to find a clue.

Just then, faint footsteps came from the direction of the village, rustling softly on the withered branches and leaves, which was particularly clear in the dead of night.

A figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

It was a woman, dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit that accentuated her agile and sharp lines, with every inch of her muscles exuding explosive power.

Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead and a pair of eyes that remained as sharp as a hawk's even in the dark, with a wary glint deep in her pupils.

Her face and bare arms were covered with a mix of old and new scars, some as light as silk, others as deep as bone. In particular, a hideous scar ran diagonally down her left cheek from her brow bone, across her eye and cheekbone. It should have been ferocious and terrifying, but against her cold and aloof temperament, it added a touch of fierceness and determination.

She held a short dagger in her left hand, the blade gleaming coldly in the dim light, exuding the stench of blood.

At this moment, those eagle eyes were firmly locked onto Ling Xiao, their gaze icy and piercing, filled with undisguised vigilance and scrutiny, as if they were sizing up prey that had intruded into their territory.

Ling Xiao hesitated for a moment, then bowed respectfully, speaking in a calm tone.

"My name is Ling Xiao. I entered this place by mistake and have no ill intentions."

"Excuse me, young lady, where is this place?"

The woman looked him up and down, her gaze sweeping over his relatively clean blue robe and then glancing at his unmarked hands. A mocking smile appeared on her lips as she uttered two words.

"Fool."

Ling Xiao choked, and was about to ask again when the woman turned away indifferently, clearly too lazy to say anything more to him.

"Girl, please stay!"

Ling Xiao quickly followed.

"This place is unfamiliar and strange; please guide me, young lady..."

hum!

The cold light appears!

Without warning, the short dagger slashed towards Ling Xiao's throat, moving so fast that it left only a faint afterimage in the air. The angle was tricky and ruthless, and from beginning to end, no extraordinary power was used. It was purely the ultimate speed of the physical body, the technique of exertion, and the fighting instinct!

Ling Xiao's pupils contracted sharply. Almost instinctively anticipating danger thanks to his newly formed "Demon Soul" and the physical coordination honed by the Thirteen Ancient Sages, he stomped his feet and retreated violently to the side and back, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

The icy wind of the blade grazed past his Adam's apple, sending a chill down his spine; he could even feel the sharpness of the dagger on the skin of his neck.

After standing still, Ling Xiao's expression became extremely solemn.

That attack was simple, efficient, and deadly, without a trace of flair; it was a killing move honed in a life-or-death struggle.

In this strange place where cultivation is impossible and magical treasures are all lost, this woman's threat level far exceeds that of some low-level martial artists! (End of Chapter)