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Chapter 454 The Third Savior!
Inside the original martial arts training wall, the world was filled with a chilling atmosphere.

The plain, which had just experienced a bloody battle, was now shrouded in a deeper, deathly silence.

On the scorched earth, the smoke of gunpowder had not yet dissipated, and the stench of blood and decay was so thick that it was almost tangible, making one's chest feel heavy.

The surviving soldiers, supporting each other and dragging their exhausted and wounded bodies, were retreating at an unprecedented speed.

Their steps faltered, their armor was torn, and many of their wounds were still gushing blood, leaving intermittent dark red marks on the ground.

However, everyone's gaze, without prior agreement, turned back again and again, focusing on the center of the battlefield that was gradually being swallowed by a huge shadow.

There, only one figure still stood.

Fang Qingyu, dressed in green and holding a sword, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, facing the overwhelming, surging tide of black mist in the distance, his expression calm to the point of indifference.

The churning, roaring black mist that connected heaven and earth exuded a deathly stillness and chill ten times stronger than the previous army of one hundred thousand corpse demons combined.

Wherever it passed, light vanished and everything withered, as if dragging all life into eternal darkness.

He stood there, as insignificant as a speck of dust before a storm compared to the terrifying black fog that stretched from the sky to the earth.

In the torrent of retreating troops, the old soldier whose injuries had been temporarily stabilized by Fang Qingyu's Starlight Origin and whose life had been saved was being supported by two comrades as he trudged forward with difficulty, his steps uneven.

Although the bleeding from the shoulder where he lost his left arm had stopped, the emptiness and excruciating pain still tormented his nerves.

At this moment, the veteran's face was as pale as paper, and large beads of sweat kept rolling down his forehead, but his eyes were fixed on the blue figure that was getting further and further away behind him, filled with incomprehensible anxiety and worry.

He struggled to turn his head and looked at a burly man in general's armor beside him, who was also directing the retreat and had a solemn expression.

This general was his direct superior and the leader to whom he had served for many years.

"General!"

The veteran's voice was hoarse and distorted with weakness and urgency, "So... he was just left there alone?! That... that's the birth of the Ghost King!"

Upon hearing this, the general frowned, his gaze remaining fixed on the lonely figure behind him and the approaching black mist.

He was well aware of how terrifying the Ghost King was.

That was an aggregate of the resentment, death energy, and malevolent power of 100,000 corpse ghosts after their deaths; it was a truly ominous object.

Its true power is far more than a simple addition of one; it often requires paying an extremely heavy price, sacrificing the lives of countless elite martial artists to buy time and delay its inevitable passage through its short but insane twenty-four-hour lifespan.

Every appearance of the Ghost King signifies a disaster, and the eternal disappearance of countless familiar faces.

Sending one person to face the Ghost King alone was, in the past, tantamount to suicide, and extremely irresponsible to the people behind them.

If this person is defeated and the Ghost King escapes and rushes into densely populated areas, the consequences will be unimaginable!
Which of these soldiers stationed on the front lines doesn't have the eight characters "The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people" etched into their very bones?

Their beliefs were purer than those of later federal citizens who wanted to protect their homeland.

I would gladly die to uphold justice!
The general could feel the same worried and doubtful gazes from many of his soldiers.

Military orders are absolute, and they obeyed the order to retreat, but their inner unease and the urge to turn back and fight side by side were surging wildly within them.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and explained in a deep voice to the veteran, and also to all the soldiers around him who were listening intently: "This is a direct order from above! It comes from... the direct decree of that person!"

His voice was not high.

But the words "that one" seemed to possess some kind of magic, instantly calming the restless emotions of the veterans and the soldiers who heard them.

On this land, the only person whom the general would address so solemnly as "that one" was the Director of the Imperial Observatory, the Celestial Master Yuan Tiangang!
The old Celestial Master is a man of divine wisdom and compassion, who has saved countless lives from peril. His prestige has long been deeply ingrained in people's hearts, bordering on faith.

He would never joke about the safety of the human world, much less deliberately condone the rampage of the Ghost King.

Since this is the Old Celestial Master's order, it must have a deeper meaning.

Perhaps the young man in blue who stayed behind alone truly possessed power beyond their imagination, enough to contend with the Ghost King?
Thinking of the terrifying scene just now, where Fang Qingyu, like a god or a demon, swept through the horde of corpses and single-handedly annihilated 100,000 corpse demons, a faint but firm hope rose in everyone's hearts.

Perhaps... it really is possible?
The army continued its retreat, increasing its speed, but countless gazes were drawn to the visually striking scene in the distance, as if by a magnet.

Tiny human figures against a vast, boundless black fog.

They retreated for nearly a hundred miles until they reached a high slope, where the army was ordered to stop and regroup.

At this distance, Fang Qingyu's exact appearance was almost invisible; only a small black dot and the leading edge of the black mist surging forward like a boiling sea of ​​ink could be vaguely seen.

Everyone who could stand held their breath and strained to see into the distance.
Tension, anticipation, fear, hope...

A mix of emotions was etched on every tired face.

They gripped their weapons tightly, their remaining life force circulating silently within them, ready to rush back at any moment and use their lives to delay the Ghost King.

Even if it was the old master's order, they could not completely place all their hopes on a stranger.

Protecting is an instinct ingrained in their very bones.

Just then, at the very moment when the black mist was about to engulf the tiny black dot.

A calm voice, seemingly transcending the distance of space, resounded directly between heaven and earth, echoing in everyone's ears and deepest hearts.

"Clear and turbid".

Two simple words, devoid of any passionate emotion, yet carrying an indescribable decisiveness and profound meaning.

The moment the sound fell.

Heaven and earth lose color!

A burst of pure white light erupted without warning from the point that was about to be swallowed by darkness.

It was a pure and brilliant light that defied description, like the first ray of light that split the heavens and the earth, tearing through chaos and dividing the primordial world!

The instant the white light appeared, the overwhelming, menacing thick black fog, like a piece of black grease that had met a red-hot iron, emitted a silent hissing sound.

Then, under the utterly shocked gazes of all the soldiers a hundred miles behind them.

That white streak of light, stretching across the heavens and the earth, advanced unstoppably at a speed beyond comprehension!

Wherever it passed, the thick, impenetrable black mist was easily and neatly sliced ​​apart like fragile cloth!

split into two!
On either side of the white light were walls of pitch-black mist that continued to churn and roar, yet could not cross the line even a fraction of a step.

As the white light passed, a "clean" passage was forcibly opened up, revealing the scorched earth below and the originally gloomy background of the sky.

This scene was spectacular and awe-inspiring, beyond the realm of common sense!

It was as if a god had casually cleaved the ocean of death in two with a single stroke.

What... what kind of power is this?!

All the soldiers who witnessed this scene were momentarily stunned. The scenes of the earth-shattering battle, the arduous struggle, and even the tragic sacrifices they had imagined did not materialize at all.

Instead, it was this seemingly casual yet domineering strike!

This is no longer within the realm of martial arts; it's almost... the Dao!

It is the manifestation of the law!

However, the shock was far from over.

Just as the white light began to fade and seemed about to disappear.

“Ouch——!!!”

A piercing scream filled with endless pain and astonishment suddenly erupted from the depths of the black mist that had been cleaved open.

The sound was not like a human voice, but more like the collective wails of countless vengeful spirits being crushed at the same moment, piercing one's eardrums and shaking one's mind.

Immediately afterwards, the black mist that had been split in two churned and boiled violently, and then, as if it had lost its core support, it began to thin and dissipate at a visible speed!
Through the rapidly thinning fog, people could vaguely see the core of the fog.

There, a hideous, twisted, and enormous demonic figure appeared.

Its body was covered in bone spurs and rotting flesh, emanating a nauseating and malevolent aura.

It is the Demon King formed from the essence of 100,000 corpse demons.

But at this moment, this newly born, terrifying demon king, which should have ravaged the world, looked utterly miserable.

A clear, thin line runs across its waist and abdomen.

Although the white light was already faint, it stubbornly persisted.

The Ghost King's body was slowly and irreversibly displaced and separated along this thin line of white light!

Its upper body leaned forward with an expression of incredulous horror.

His lower body, however, fell backward stiffly.

Pfft!
Two deep, resounding thuds seemed to strike the hearts of every observer from afar.

The arrogant Ghost King, before it could even display its ferocity or utter a complete roar, was swiftly and decisively cut in half by this stunningly powerful strike!
It has completely lost all vitality.

The remaining black mist lost its core and dissipated rapidly, soon turning into wisps of green smoke and disappearing completely into the world.

The sunlight shone again on the scorched earth, as if the devastating black fog from before was just an illusion.

Across the hundred-mile-long hillside, all was deathly silent.

Thousands of soldiers stood frozen in place, gazing into the distance, their faces contorted in utter shock and bewilderment.

ended?
The Ghost King, a figure feared and whose existence required countless lives to defeat, was... killed in a single strike?

Zero casualties?

Perhaps... that young man in blue didn't even move a step?
This…

The immense sense of unreality shocked everyone's perception.

After a brief period of absolute silence.

hum! ! !
A huge uproar and ecstatic shouts suddenly erupted from the crowd!
"Dead...dead! The Ghost King is dead!"

"One cut! Just one cut!"

"What did I just see?! Was that divine intervention?!"

"We won! We won! Zero casualties! Zero casualties!!!"

"Long live!!!"

The ecstasy of surviving the ordeal, along with the awe and worship of absolute power, surged through the crowd like a volcanic eruption.

Many soldiers trembled with excitement, tears welling in their eyes, and despite their injuries, they embraced and beat their comrades beside them.

They were cheering not only for survival, but also to witness a miracle, to witness the birth of someone who could rival the two legendary saviors!
Supported by his father, the veteran stared blankly at the distant, now peaceful world, at the still-standing, tiny figure. His lips trembled, and he ultimately uttered no words, his eyes filled with tears of emotion and awe.

His earlier worries now seemed so ridiculous, yet so blissful.

The general also let out a long sigh of relief, his clenched fist slowly relaxing, his palms sweating. He gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and murmured to himself, "The third time... This is the third time since Master Yuan and National Preceptor Li that someone has been able to so easily slay the Ghost King... The third... savior?"

This news is more uplifting to the human world, which has been ravaged by ghouls, than the victory of a battle!

……

High above the clouds, a fierce wind howled.

Two figures stood suspended in mid-air, their robes fluttering, seemingly isolated from the mortal world beneath their feet.

It was Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng.

Everything that happened on the battlefield below, including the earth-shattering "Qingzhuo" strike and the Ghost King's instant death, was clearly reflected in their deep eyes.

Yuan Tiangang's face remained calm and composed, his long, silvery-white beard fluttering slightly in the wind, as if what had just happened was nothing more than a trivial matter.

But a fleeting, barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed in the depths of his eyes.

Li Chunfeng, standing to the side, couldn't hide the smile on his lips. He clapped his hands lightly, turned to his old friend beside him, and said with a smile, "How about it, Brother Yuan? It seems that our endless cycle of suffering, repeating this tiresome script time and time again, has finally been worthwhile. Perhaps... this time, we can really wait for the curtain to fall, and we can finally enjoy some peace and quiet."

His tone carried a hint of teasing, a touch of emotion, and an air of relief.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang slowly withdrew his gaze, glanced at Li Chunfeng, and said in a calm voice, "The Great Dao is fifty, the Heavenly Evolution is forty-nine, and humanity escapes one. A glimmer of hope has appeared, but variables still exist. Don't be too happy too soon."

Although he said this, he did not refute the deeper meaning behind Li Chunfeng's words.

Li Chunfeng chuckled, completely unfazed by his old friend's attempt to dampen his enthusiasm: "It's good to have variables; stagnation is true despair. This young man's temperament, innate talent, comprehension, and even that 'variable' about him that neither you nor I can clearly see, are all top-notch. More importantly, he is decisive in killing, yet he doesn't lack compassion; he's not a ruthless person who blindly pursues power. Perhaps, he can truly forge a different path and completely end this scourge that has lasted for countless years."

He paused, his gaze returning to the calm figure in blue robes below, who remained composed despite the cheers of the crowd. His tone became somewhat distant: "At least, seeing him makes me feel that we old bones may really be nearing the moment of handover. Perhaps we won't have to witness this wretched cycle of reincarnation so many times anymore."

Yuan Tiangang remained silent for a moment, his cloudy yet wise eyes seeming to shimmer with starlight, before finally uttering only two words:
"I hope."

After speaking, he lightly flicked his sleeve.

The surrounding clouds swirled, and the figures of the two gradually blurred, eventually disappearing quietly into the sea of ​​clouds as if they had never existed, just like blending into an ink painting.

Only the soldiers who survived the calamity and were caught up in a frenzy remained on the plains below, along with the young man in blue robes who stood alone in the center of the battlefield, silently feeling the skill points within his body surge again due to the slaying of the Ghost King, and the increasingly clear and powerful understanding of the origins of feng shui and celestial phenomena.

His journey is still long.

(End of this chapter)