Chapter 107.1: Thank Heaven You're Here, Little Bride

At the Nine Plate Mountain...

The canary went pale. The moment she saw the Myriad Phenomena Gate vanish, she clutched at her skirts and sprinted madly up the mountain path.

"Blood Drop!"

Her cry echoed, but the familiar figure did not appear. The mountaintop lay empty and silent. A hollow ache rose in her chest. The Myriad Phenomena Gate had vanished, and with it, Blood Drop was gone.

Everything felt strange and unreal. It was too much for the canary to accept. The wind swept across the peak, lifting strands of her dark hair. She tilted her stubborn petite face toward the sky.

"Blood Drop... you're not really that Buddha they spoke of, are you?" she whispered. "And I... am I that demoness you killed?"

Ever since the origin of the Myriad Phenomena Gate had been uncovered, whispers had spread through Nine Plate Mountain. They said that whenever the Myriad Phenomena Gate appeared, so would a being called Blood Drop. It was a droplet of blood shed by the Great Demon himself.

Words spread that the Blood Master taught the Demon Binding Art to atone for his sins. Some scoffed at the tale, others took it at face value.

The canary stood alone upon the peak, a tiny silhouette against the vast sky. She hated the story of the Buddha who killed his beloved, the demoness.

***

Rain began to fall, heavy and unending.

In the City of No Return, Yuan Qi pulled his straw raincoat tighter around his shoulders. When he looked up at the man standing atop the city wall, a chill of terror crept through his heart.

Moments ago, over a thousand demons had attacked the city, only to be wiped out by the guardian.

Yet as Yuan Qi gazed upon Qi Yuan, fear gnawed at his soul. That was no guardian—that was a hell spawn! Even his scarlet eyes seemed inhumane.

"You look frightened," Qi Yuan's voice drifted down from the wall. His flat, cold and almost amused tone landed on Yuan Qi's chest like a stone.

"My lord," Yuan Qi said, bowing his head, his voice trembling. "You... you seem different now."

He dared not meet Qi Yuan's gaze.

"

Mm

. You may go," Qi Yuan said indifferently.

Relief washed over Yuan Qi as he retreated quickly into the rain. He didn't know why, but being near the guardian filled him with a suffocating dread.

Qi Yuan sat with his broken sword in hand. Beads of blood clung to the blade. With a small flick of his wrist, they scattered into the wind.

"After this round of insight, the extraction of Demonic Origin has increased by 10%," he murmured. A frown touched his lips. "Am I going to end up turning into one of those things?"

His emotions had become unstable lately. Waves of greed, rage, lust, and pride constantly stirred beneath the surface, especially right after battle.

He turned slightly. "Little Bride... are you afraid of me?"

Little Bride startled, fumbled in panic. She nearly tripped, and a small wooden plaque fell from her sleeve.

Qi Yuan stooped to pick it up. It was a smile on the wooden tag. Then, gently, he pulled Little Bride into his arms. The faint fragrance of her garments lingered between them.

A faint smile curved his lips. "Thank heavens you're here... Playing alone gets a bit dull sometimes."

The red haze slowly faded from his eyes and the oppressive aura that had unsettled even hardened soldiers dissipated, leaving only quiet calm.

He sat with Little Bride on the wall, gazing out at the boundless desert beyond. Here in the Flowing Wind World, there was no sunrise and no sunset. Only endless, timeless dusk.

***

Far away, in the camp of the Demon Tamers, Wu Tong's face was dark as iron.

"That wretched little City of No Return, must I handle it myself?!" he growled, slamming a hand against the table. Dishes and wine cups shattered, scattering shards across the floor.

A dozen Nation Subjugators bowed their heads, none daring to speak. Recently, the vanguard led by Iron Chain had marched on the City of No Return and vanished without a trace.

Iron Chain was the second-strongest warrior under Wu Tong's command. His disappearance had shaken them all. Now, no one dared move without knowing what awaited them there. They sent controlled demons instead, but every creature that went simply never came back.

Wu Tong's fury boiled over. "If Misang hears of this, he'll mock me to my face!"

Still, silence. After all, if they went to another city, they would just suffer another defeat.

Finally, a wrinkled old man ventured. "Commander Wu... perhaps the city's name is unlucky. Maybe it's fate that no one ever returns."

Wu Tong's glare burned.

Cowards, all of them!

"Who among you dares go? I will reward richly whoever takes the City of No Return. I will even grant some Demon Tamer Origin!" he declared.

A murmur rippled through the tent. Their ability to command demons came from borrowed fragments of the Demon Tamer Origin. To possess a complete one meant controlling countless stronger demons, and perhaps even stepping beyond mortal limitations.

Yet despite the temptation, hesitation lingered in their eyes.

"Commander," the same old man piped up again. "Why don't all of us go together?"

"Yes! If you lead us yourself, the City of No Return will fall in moments!" others chimed in eagerly.

"We will go and reclaim the City of No Return!"

Everyone was egging him on. After all, with Wu Tong taking the lead, there was hardly any risk to themselves. With so many powerful cultivators joining hands, what could possibly go wrong?

Wu Tong looked around at the crowd with irritation. His face turned several shades darker before he finally said, "One month from now, we march out to the City of No Return!"

With that, he turned and left the grand tent.