Chen Zhao shivered with fear.

However,

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

At this moment, under the cover of midnight, one by one, the Demon-Hunting Lamps within the Demon Hunting Department suddenly lit up inexplicably, each emitting a bright red glow!

"This is...!"

"East, west, south, north!"

"Four areas, all have demons infiltrating in large numbers, causing the Demon-Hunting Lamps to light up!"

"Damn it... the Demon Avoidance Array hasn't been fully activated, and they've come so quickly!"

Ye Jing rose abruptly from his seat, his face grim as he grabbed the long spear placed beside him:

"Immediately gather all the 'Demon Hunter Patrols', summon the Three Hundred Martial Soldiers, the Three Thousand City Defense Soldiers, and the Martial Artists from Martial Arts Street... to repel the demons!"

"As long as the third step doesn't appear, activating the 'Demon Avoidance Array' will provide us a respite. For now, the Outer City can't be defended, we can only hold onto the Inner City and wait for reinforcements!"

"Everyone, the moment of life and death has arrived!"

In the sky.

Due to the Celestial Abyss outside, the 'Immortal Nirvana Palace' was becoming more and more tangible from its previous illusory state, seemingly about to manifest again in less than half a month, causing the round moon in the sky to glow red, giving off an eerie vibe.

In Black Mountain City.

Chaos reigned.

...

Inner City, Danxia Hall.

Zhang Yun, from Cyan Stone Lane in the Outer City, had a young and weary face. The high-intensity work lasting seven or eight hours every day kept her busy from dawn till dusk recently, leaving no time for rest.

But as the world grew increasingly chaotic, news from the Outer City became scarce, and 'panic-ridden narratives' were abound.

Some said the outside had already been conquered by demons.

Others said Black Mountain City would soon be led by a Demon Commander.

By then, the top tier would be 'demons', the second tier 'half-demons', and the third tier would be 'them'...

All kinds of rumors, complex and confusing, making it hard to discern the truth.

Yet for the Black Mountain People of the Outer City, particularly in the Second Ring and Third Ring areas where villages and settlements merged to form streets and markets.

Many had already lost their jobs, finding it increasingly difficult to maintain even a basic 'subsistence', which was an undeniable fact.

Amidst the chaotic and tumultuous times. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Only those in power could open their eyes to see the 'life or death' struggle.

But for most of the common people...

Even before the moment of 'life and death' arrives, starvation was already rampant.

Zhang Yun's father, Carpenter Zhang was among them, almost starving to death; who would still come to him for carpentry work, added to that her brother was a rebellious youth, leaving her no choice but to sell her labor to 'Danxia Hall' to support the family.

Recently, due to her hard work, she gained recognition and praise from the 'steward within the hall', who mentioned she already had a foundation in discerning pills and concocting medicine, with solid groundwork.

Once she passed the assessment period, if given the chance, he'd take her away from 'Baoping State', to some 'Danxia Mountain' to join the sect, granting her an opportunity and so forth...

But all these things seemed too distant.

At the moment, Zhang Yun only wanted to support her family of three, the rest to consider later.

Yet ultimately, it led her to indulge in a slightly unrealistic dream.

Previously, when Jixia was in Cyan Stone Lane, punching the Military Department Commander, shaking the Martial Soldiers, stepping into the Guardian Mansion, making him exceptionally esteemed, causing everyone to keep their distance from that courtyard, not daring to approach.

Even her father Carpenter Zhang, who once had small favors to Jixia, dared not bring them up.

"If I had been a bit more resolute when father mentioned this, would it have been better?"

Zhang Yun lifted her butter-yellow sleeve to wipe the sweat, with a touch of melancholy in her watery eyes.

Yet in a split second, she clapped her pale face, shook her head, breathed deeply, encouraging herself:

"Zhang Yun, why do you always think of Jixia? You're not on the same level as him, it was 'a frog at the bottom of the well glimpsing the moon', unclear before, but now it's clear, don't you get it?"

"Danxia Hall..."

"When you're qualified to go to 'Danxia Mountain', then think about this!"

"If I could become a Pill Master to refine pills for Martial Artists, would I have more qualification to approach him?"

She contemplated in her heart while walking towards Cyan Stone Lane, wanting to traverse the corridor between the Inner City and Outer City.

But with a sudden disturbance.

As she rounded a corner, approaching the road leading to 'Martial Arts Street'...

Several figures appeared before her.

Leading the group with dragon horns on his head, a white jade silver crown, wearing a Profound Gold Long Robe with silver-thread cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. His waist was bound with a green silk belt, looking dignified and stepped on several fresh corpses, with disdainful expression:

"These Great Zhao Martial Artists are truly fragile."

Surrounding him, several people in black robes responded with laughter:

"Young Master Xiao Long inherited the 'Xuanqing Demon Monarch', along with the lifetime essence of the 'Cyan Bird Demon Monarch' from the Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance. That's how he came to be, though currently at the Second Step Peak, he will surely reach 'Top-grade Primordial Pill' in the future!"

"These Great Zhao Martial Artists, countless in numbers, how many can achieve Top-grade Primordial Pill?"

"Ordinary Martial Artists naturally aren't even worthy to tie your shoes."

The one referred to as 'Young Master Xiao Long', named Ancient Celestial Heaven, was the offspring conceived eighteen years ago by Xuanqing Demon Monarch, and was truly 'Profound-Level Demon Blood' for this lineage.

This time, accompanying his father to fight in 'Baoping State', advancing unstoppably, entering Wutong Prefecture, brimming with pride, he took on a task, accompanying one of the six Primordial Pill Commanders, 'Deceitful Sea Yaksha', to assault Black Mountain!