Chapter 841 - Invasion of Baleful Energy

The elders led the younger generation toward the secret tunnel. The crimson cloud had appeared several times before, snatching a few of their disciples before disappearing into the night.

But today was different. The crimson cloud lingered in the air, unwilling to leave. Enraged that its prey had been snatched away, it screamed.

"I won't leave! I will stay and fight alongside you, father!" Lu Qiang declared, his voice resolute. Instead, he urged the elders to take his sister to safety.

"I order you to leave at this instance!" Lu Funian raised his voice. He was injured, and his life was already hanging by a thread. He planned to hold back the crimson cloud at the cost of his life, allowing his clansmen to escape.

"Father, you've protected us all these years. Let us protect you tonight!" Lu Qiang insisted with a hardened resolve. This was the first time he defied his father.

He knew Lu Funian wouldn't stand a chance against the crimson cloud if they left, and he couldn't bear to watch his father march to his death.

"We won't run! We will live and die with the Lu Clan!" Lu Qiang's words affected the other disciples. They chose to stand united in the face of death, and their courage and loyalty shone like a beacon amidst the storm. Their actions earned the respect of Liu Wuxie, who watched from the shadows.

The courtyard trees had already been devoured, and now, disciples with lower cultivation were slowly lifted into the air and drawn toward the swirling mass.

"Hold him quick!" Someone lunged forward, grabbing a disciple who was being pulled skyward. But the moment they made contact, the suction force latched onto them as well.

"Quick, hold them!" More disciples dashed forward to drag the hovering disciples back to the ground.

But the crimson cloud's suction force only increased. Instead of breaking free, the entire group began to lift again, forming a long human chain. Each gripped the next as they dangled helplessly, like kite strings caught in an unseen wind.

Lu Funian stood amidst the chaos, his eyes fixed on the crimson cloud. Then, suddenly, without a word, he leaped into the air and charged at it. This was a suicidal attempt, as he intended to sacrifice himself to save his clansmen.

"Patriarch!" the disciples who saw this cried out.

"Father!" Lu Qiang roared. He shot upward and chased after his father.

"Go back!" Lu Funian waved his hand and unleashed a shockwave that threw Lu Qiang back to the ground.

"Take care of the other clansmen!" Lu Funian said with a faint smile. His unwavering resolve shone like a beacon, igniting the hearts of those around him. He had already made his decision—to give his life to save his clan.

Despair gripped the Lu Clan disciples as they collapsed to their knees, sobbing helplessly. They could only watch as Lu Funian ascended toward the crimson cloud, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop him.

In such a dangerous situation, Lu Fuanian was resolved to self-detonate and perish with the crimson cloud.

Liu Wuxie suddenly released a soft sigh under the surge of emotion as he watched what was happening in the Lu Clan. The Lu Clan had saved his life, and he couldn't simply stand by after seeing their unwavering courage.

He knew his conscience would haunt him forever if he turned his back now, and there would be a flaw in his dao heart. No matter the cost, he owed a debt to Lu Funian—one that could not go unpaid, especially after the man had given him the pill meant to extend his own life.

The crimson cloud was the manifestation of an Earthly Fiend and possessed a hint of intelligence that made it tough to deal with. Earthly Fiends had no form; they were manifestations of baleful energy that fed on human blood essence. The moment it evolved into a fiend demon, the entire region would be reduced to a wasteland.

There was no time to waste—Liu Wuxie couldn't stand by and watch his benefactor die. Without hesitation, he summoned the Heretic Blade and shot into the sky like a comet. His energy surged as he unleashed his most powerful attack.

"Golden Flame Strike!"

There was no path of retreat. He had no way of knowing whether the Golden Flame Strike would even harm the crimson cloud, but he had to take the risk.

Lu Funian had already accepted his fate, ready to perish with the fiend. But just as he prepared for the end, an overwhelming force slammed into him, sending him hurtling back to the ground.

Earthly Fiends feared light, but Liu Wuxie had yet to comprehend the light element. However, his Golden Flame Strike contained both metal and fire—and while fire wasn’t light, it embodied yang energy, which could somewhat restrain the Earthly Fiend.

The Golden Flame Strike shot forward with unstoppable momentum and crashed against the crimson cloud. This caused the cloud to distort, and an eerie sound came from within.

In the next second, the crimson cloud manifested into a colossal skull with a gaping maw, lunging at Liu Wuxie. Everything happened too fast, and the skull's jaws had appeared in front of him before he could react.

Right at the critical moment, Lu Funian struck with his longsword at the skull. His objective wasn't to destroy the skull but to buy Liu Wuxie precious time.

After being struck by the sword aura, the skull briefly paused, which gave Liu Wuxie precious time.

Liu Wuxie was shocked that the Golden Flame Strike had failed to destroy the crimson cloud. This was because the Earthly Fiend didn't have a physical form, and the Golden Flame Strike could only deal some damage at best, nowhere near enough to destroy it entirely.

Performing a somersault in mid-air, Liu Wuxie dodged the skull, avoiding the deathly bite.

The crimson cloud's rage intensified with its attack thwarted. An endless stream of crimson mist gushed from the skull, blanketing the sky over the Lu Clan.

"Everyone, seal your five orifices! It’s baleful energy!" Liu Wuxie roared, his voice cutting through the chaos. He knew the danger—if anyone inhaled the baleful energy, they risked being corrupted and turned into mindless puppets.

"Quick, retreat!" Lu Funian followed, urging everyone to take shelter. "Get back to your rooms and seal the doors!" Thanks to Liu Wuxie’s timely warning, the Lu Clan disciples avoided inhaling the toxic energy. Had they hesitated for even a moment longer, they would have fallen victim to its corruption.

Liu Wuxie remained in mid-air as the crimson cloud refused to let him escape as he had ruined its plans. With the moonlight blocked by the crimson cloud, Lu Funian still couldn’t see the face of his savior. The shrouded night masked Liu Wuxie’s identity.

The crimson cloud thickened, pressing downward like an executioner’s blade, sealing off all possible escape routes. The skull began to morph with baleful energy, taking on various shapes. One moment, it took the shape of a tiger; the next, it became a blade.

Each time the crimson cloud morphed into a deadly form and lunged at him, Liu Wuxie struck it back with the Heretic Blade.

But the baleful energy was growing stronger. His escape routes were sealed, and even though he wasn’t breathing it in, the energy was beginning to seep into his body through his pores. The situation was growing dire. Only now did he fully understand why even Spirit Profound Realm experts had refused to intervene.

Victory was uncertain. Even if they managed to fight it off, allowing baleful energy to enter their bodies meant inevitable corruption—slow, irreversible death.

Just then, Lu Funian surged forward. "Young man, I'll help you!" he called, ready to throw himself into battle.

"Hold your horses! Don't come over!" Liu Wuxie sent the warning directly into Lu Funian’s mind, unwilling to risk speaking aloud. The baleful energy in the surroundings was too thick, and Lu Funian would die if he came any closer.

Lu Funian wasn't afraid of death, but Liu Wuxie wouldn't let him die. If Lu Funian died, all the effort he had spent to intervene would go down the drain. After all, he had stepped in to prevent Lu Funian’s death.

If he had to watch his benefactor perish before his eyes, the weight of that failure would haunt him forever. His grip tightened around the Heretic Blade. Steeling himself, he charged straight toward the black skull.

"Die!" Liu Wuxie performed the Golden Flame Strike once more. He was determined to inflict severe injury to the crimson cloud, even if he couldn't kill it. This time, he channeled the ancient deity's power to empower his attack, hoping it would make a difference.

The blade aura he released enveloped the sky, and the black skull began to tremble as the ancient deity's power had successfully injured it. However, the damage was minor and wasn't enough to kill it.

Liu Wuxie unleashed dozens of attacks, and his attacks weren't inferior to someone at the low level of the Spirit Profound Realm.

At first, Lu Funian thought someone at the Spirit Profound Realm had come to their aid. But his astonishment grew when he realized the aura was only at the Nascent Transformation Realm.

The crimson cloud of baleful energy obscured Lu Funian’s view of Liu Wuxie, leaving him helpless. He could do nothing but watch as Liu Wuxie was ensnared within the shifting mass.

The pressure was mounting for Liu Wuxie, but he was like a headless fly. The crimson cloud had blocked his path of retreat, and he would have to tear apart the baleful energy if he wanted to leave.

But every time he tried to break through, the rift healed instantly, sealing him inside. The situation was turning increasingly perilous. Liu Wuxie’s frown deepened as his mind raced.

My dao techniques are too limited. I wouldn't be so helpless if I had comprehended a few more dao techniques

. Liu Wuxie thought to himself bitterly. Right now, he only had access to a few techniques—Golden Flame Strike and an ice dao technique, both of which had limited effectiveness.

The Soul Spear was only suitable for ambushes, the Annihilation Fist was too dangerous to be used, the Heavenly Dragon Seal was an external power, and the Earth-Binding Chains could only trap his enemy. But the Earth-Binding Chains were useless as the crimson cloud had no form.

This meant he could only rely on his strength to escape. Killing the Earthly Fiend was out of the question as it was too powerful unless someone at the Earth Profound Realm was present, or he could find a way to restrain the crimson cloud before destroying it.

He tried everything he could think of, but nothing worked, which only fueled his desperation. The baleful energy had begun to penetrate his body through his pores.

"This is bad!" Liu Wuxie's heart sank. He could control his five orifices but not his pores. The baleful energy was like needles piercing his skin, and he could do nothing about it.

The instant the baleful energy seeped into his body, he felt its corrupting influence take hold, driving him toward madness. It surged through his meridians, racing toward his soul sea—once it reached the core, he would be nothing more than a puppet.

If that happened, he might turn his blade against the Lu Clan, slaughtering them under the Earthly Fiend’s control. As the danger escalated, the crimson baleful energy continued its relentless advance, nearing the core of his soul sea.

He had tried every possible method to halt its invasion, but nothing worked.