Chapter 73: Sudden Mutation

“Demon Emperor, look at how the sky is changing.”

Hearing Takagi Akiko’s words, Song Jie’s expression shifted instantly. He raised his head to the heavens, only to see dark clouds pressing down overhead. The sunrise had vanished, swallowed by gloom, as darkness descended upon the land, casting everything into shadow. Gales of demonic wind swept through, as if heralding impending catastrophe.

Song Jie’s eyes gleamed with mad delight at the sight. Laughing wildly, he cried, “Ha, ha, ha! Heaven favors me! Now, as the celestial hound devours the moon and the demon winds rage, the barrier is at its weakest!”

Takagi Akiko’s brows furrowed. “Demon Emperor, shall we make our move, or wait and see?”

“We move. While the demon star is weakened by the shattered formation, I will claim its life.” With a flicker in his gaze, Song Jie vanished into a beam of light, streaking into Phoenix Terrace Mountain.

Seeing this, Takagi Akiko’s expression darkened, and she swiftly transformed into a beam of light, following after him.

At the foot of Phoenix Terrace Mountain, countless students gazed up at the sudden shift in the sky, their faces paled with fear and trepidation.

Darkness had come so swiftly, plunging everything around into shadow. The atmosphere was suddenly heavy and oppressive.

Jiang Xiaofei’s face grew tense as he turned to Lan Lianshuang beside him. “Soon, I’ll find a way to enter beneath Phoenix Terrace Mountain. I hope you’ll aid me with all your strength to prevent the demon star’s emergence.”

Lan Lianshuang nodded, weighed down by an unspeakable heaviness. She knew, if the legends were true, and the demon star was allowed to rise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just then, a brilliant radiance erupted atop the mountain. It was a colossal yin-yang Eight Trigrams formation, like a celestial compass encasing Phoenix Terrace Mountain. Ancient runes flowed within the formation, emanating obscure waves and dazzling light, illuminating the darkened world.

That immense power struck Phoenix Terrace Mountain like a pillar, as if trying to prevent some apocalyptic beast from breaking free.

Whoosh! Hum!

Yet, a golden torrent of fire surged from within the mountain, crashing against the pillar of force and neutralizing it.

Boom!

The collision sent the heavens and earth into turmoil. The already dark sky grew darker, winds and clouds roared everywhere, as if an endless calamity had arrived.

Under the onslaught of the golden fire, the Eight Trigrams formation dimmed; cracks appeared in its runes, yet it still rotated slowly, releasing vast power to counter the fire’s assault.

The fire seemed to have exhausted much of its strength in the last blow, visibly faltering, gradually suppressed by the formation’s power, until it finally fell silent.

Jiang Xiaofei murmured, “Has the demon star failed to break the seal, or is it gathering strength for another attempt?”

Just then, Lan Lianshuang spoke urgently, “Professor Jiang, look! The formation is fading!”

“What?” Jiang Xiaofei frowned and looked. Indeed, the formation was now dim and dull, beginning to fracture and dissolve into nothingness.

Seeing this, his face changed dramatically. He turned to Tang Zhirou. “In a moment, Lan Lianshuang and I will enter beneath Phoenix Terrace Mountain to stop the demon star. Watch over the students—let nothing happen to them.”

Tang Zhirou said, “But I want to go with you.”

“Your cultivation is too weak. If you come along, you’ll only slow us down.”

Tang Zhirou nodded reluctantly. “All right, but you must be careful. Come back alive.”

“Don’t worry. Even if we can’t win, we can still run.” With that, Jiang Xiaofei looked to Lan Lianshuang.

Meeting his gaze, Lan Lianshuang summoned her Ice Shuttle. The two of them shimmered, transforming into beams of light and attaching themselves to the shuttle.

Hummm.

The Ice Shuttle trembled, then shot forth as a blue streak, burrowing into the mountain.

Inside Phoenix Terrace Mountain, Jiang Xiaofei and Lan Lianshuang appeared atop a rocky ledge. All around, the walls were fiery red stone, and below their feet, molten magma roiled—a sea of fire.

Jiang Xiaofei was instantly assaulted by a wave of heat, his body unbearably hot. He circulated the black-and-white qi within him for protection, feeling slightly better. He turned to Lan Lianshuang. “Miss Lan, can you cross this sea of magma?”

“Don’t worry. With my Ice Shuttle, mere fire and rock can’t harm me.” Lan Lianshuang smiled, summoning her shuttle again.

Jiang Xiaofei nodded. “Good. Let’s cross now. I want to see what this demon star looks like.”

He activated his black-and-white qi and plunged into the magma.

Lan Lianshuang immediately summoned the Ice Shuttle, enveloping herself in a shield of cold air, then followed after him.

Beneath the magma, another world awaited. Jiang Xiaofei found himself on a stone bridge. The scene before him left him stunned. Lan Lianshuang was equally astonished. The rock walls were covered with stone statues—all with fierce faces and protruding fangs.

Jiang Xiaofei felt as if he’d entered the inferno of molten rock. He shook his head and said to Lan Lianshuang, “Let’s check the other side.”

Lan Lianshuang nodded and followed him across the bridge.

On the other side was a cave, arch-shaped, with a phoenix motif above its entrance—someone’s dwelling, perhaps? Jiang Xiaofei frowned, growing wary. In such a sinister place, who could tell what might happen next?

He felt certain nothing good lay ahead. He cautioned Lan Lianshuang, “Stay behind me. Be careful.”

Lan Lianshuang nodded silently, her eyes alert.

Inside, a vast space unfolded before them, like a separate world. Sharp rocks jutted everywhere, stretching out of sight.

Jiang Xiaofei frowned.

Suddenly, a woman's voice rang out ahead, not very loud: “Demon Emperor, why haven’t you arrived yet? Has the demon star escaped while the sealing formation shattered?”

The familiar voice made Jiang Xiaofei’s face turn sour—it was Takagi Akiko.

“How did she get here?” Jiang Xiaofei muttered, frowning and hastening forward.

Lan Lianshuang followed, whispering, “Didn’t you hear Takagi Akiko calling for the Demon Emperor? Be careful—there may be other experts nearby. If you rush in recklessly, you’ll only be courting death.”

Suppressing his impulse, Jiang Xiaofei nodded silently.

After advancing a hundred meters, they hid behind a sharp rock, observing.

In their sight, beside Takagi Akiko stood a middle-aged man clad in a blood-red coat. Sensing something, he frowned, then laughed loudly. “That demon star was gravely injured by the sealing formation and is now weakened, hiding somewhere to recover. This is its lair—it can’t have gone far.”

“That’s perfect. With the demon star so weak, the Demon Emperor will have no trouble seizing the Phoenix True Flame. Congratulations, Demon Emperor—your reign over the world is within reach.” Takagi Akiko spoke, then lowered her voice, frowning. “Demon Emperor, I sense someone following us, less than ten meters behind. Shall I deal with these two fools?”

“No need. They’re just two juniors of the Void Realm—nothing to worry about. But if they dare disrupt my plans, I won’t mind devouring them.” The man spoke softly, licking his seductive lips and revealing a bloodthirsty edge, as if he hadn’t tasted fresh flesh in far too long.