With days of continuous rain, outbreaks of the infectious Demonic Transformation Syndrome appeared worldwide. Aided by the shadowy manipulator, Anlong, transformed into the monster, tapped into the power of Heavenly Dao to leave the Endless Abyss.
Perhaps, in its desperate attempt to wrest control back onto the erratic path of destiny, it had marshaled too much power, neglecting the smaller details. Or perhaps, a system malfunction had led to a chain reaction, erasing all past failures and liberating those bound by missions...
The lock on Song Qingshi's stored memories loosened.
Memories from thousands of cycles of reincarnation surged forward, almost bursting the bounds of his mental sea.
He fell into a delirious fever.
...
Yao Wang Valley fell under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Summit. Doctor Cheng was not the only physician to have fallen in this outbreak. Three villages reported instances of the Demonic Transformation Syndrome. Tian Huo Sect, led by their well-informed and decisive leader near Mohe Village, rounded up all villagers and anyone who had contact with them. He then sealed the village, exterminating everyone and incinerating the corpses to cut off the source of infection.
Qianhe Village was more remote, and the compassionate monks from the Nine Stars Temple were indecisive. They merely quarantined the village, reciting scriptures daily and imparting life lessons, encouraging villagers to face life and death gracefully. Most villagers accepted their fate, believing that dying of the Syndrome would lead them to the Pure Land. Still, a minority who believed they weren't infected escaped surreptitiously, spreading to other villages and towns under false identities.
The worst situation occurred in Tongyang City, situated in Nanling. At that time, nobody knew what the Demonic Transformation Syndrome was. Traveling through towns and villages, the impoverished and sickly father-daughter duo received ample assistance—either in the form of food or a lift.
Yao Wang Clinic was the best medical institution for hundreds of miles. Even though Doctor Cheng sent urgent reports, Lord Luo of Tongyang City was obstinate, focusing on his cultivation. He disregarded the absurdity of the Syndrome until first the weak, then the healthy, and finally even his own concubines started to show signs of infection.
Panic engulfed Tongyang City, and a mass exodus ensued.
Lord Luo emerged from seclusion too late. Chaos had already erupted, with tragedies happening everywhere. People blamed Huang Abao, Yao Wang Clinic, and their own misfortunes. Trust had deteriorated so much that they would even kill their neighbors and suspicious individuals to avoid being affected by the Syndrome.
Kindness was shunned, morals abandoned, ethics utterly lost. Everyone transformed into distrustful beasts, even towards their own family.
For a time, the entire region of Nanling resembled a hell on Earth.
Upon receiving reports from Doctor Cheng and other sources, Yao Wang Valley dispatched countless messenger birds to inform the Immortal Summit and various sects.
Immortal Summit quickly issued an order to seal off the main roads in Nanling.
Towns and sects yet unaffected promptly locked down, barring any outsiders from entry.
Tian Wu Sect, located on the border between Zhongzhou and Nanling, was already recovering from a recent disaster. Having received spiritual gains from a mysterious formation, all members were in seclusion. When they got the news, gratitude to their ancestors was their first response, followed by strengthening their protective barriers, forbidding anyone from coming in or going out.
Lingmiao Island was a direct subsidiary of the Immortal Summit and sat on the key transit route from Nanling to Zhongzhou.
It was the strongest array-forming sect in the cultivation world, mostly consisting of female cultivators...
Just a few days ago, a six-year-old boy holding a wooden bucket washed ashore. The cultivators of Lingmiao Island rescued and treated him. Upon regaining consciousness, he sobbed that he was from Tongyang City. His father had taken them on an impromptu sea outing, where he fell sick, killed his wife and daughter, and almost killed him. His sister used her last strength to throw him and the bucket into the sea.
The boy cried heart-wrenchingly, wanting his mother, his arm already showing faint dark spots.
For Lingmiao Island, it was already too late.
Lady Nian put down the letter from the Immortal Summit, picked up the bowl of medicine, gently blew on it to cool it down, and then fed it to the child. She smiled, "Don't cry; you are the bravest child and will see your mother soon."
Her smile was as tender as that of a mother.
The child finally stopped crying, swallowed the medicine, and then asked, "Will I really see my mother?"
Lady Nian gave him a piece of candy, lulling him to sleep, "Don't worry; in a few days, I'll take you to her."
She pulled up her sleeves, revealing faint black lines on her fair wrists. The signs of the Demonic Transformation Syndrome were inconspicuous and couldn't be suppressed by cultivation or spiritual energy.
On Lingmiao Island, many women and children were of weak constitution. Symptoms were appearing among many of them. The only consolation was that no one had left the island recently.
The female cultivators responsible for the outbreak knelt outside the gate, dark patterns surfacing on their own bodies as well. Apologies were pointless now; they wished for death.
"Stand up! No tears!" Lady Nian lifted her proud head and straightened her back, declaring, "Helping distressed children is a principle of Lingmiao Island. You adhered to our beliefs—where is the fault in that? Rise! Lingmiao Island is a crucial passageway. Even if we die, our deaths must have value! Hear my decree! Activate the Heavenly Lock and Earthly Prison Formation, seal off Lingmiao Island, and its surrounding waters and roads. No one is allowed to leave. If we can't find a cure, we shall be Zhongzhou's final line of defense against the Syndrome!"
"The Syndrome starts with the appearance of dark patterns, then spreads. Victims fall into unconsciousness, awakening as demons."
"If any companion falls into a coma, kill her with a sword before full transformation!"
"Regardless of rank, relationship, age, or status—act immediately!"
"I am no exception!"
"..."
Among the female cultivators of Lingmiao Island, many were orphans or abused girls whom Lady Nian had rescued and nurtured. They saw her as a mother and each other as sisters, sharing deep emotional bonds. Her cruel order left them weeping inconsolably.
"Be brave, don't be afraid. Haven't you always strived to prove yourselves, unwilling to be looked down upon by male cultivators?" Lady Nian took out a handkerchief to wipe their tears, and through her own, smiled, "Today, let the world see the mettle of us, female cultivators."
On Lingmiao Island, 1,823 lives stood in defense of Zhongzhou.
...
In Yao Wang Valley, physicians received one medical report after another. Each represented the life of one or several physicians: the reclusive Doctor Chen, the hot-tempered Doctor He, the novice Doctor Cheng, the kindly Doctor Zhao, the skillful Doctor Tian, the often careless Doctor Xu, the beautiful and smart Doctor Lan…
Every name was in Yao Wang Valley's student registry; every individual was a point of pride for the Valley.
Some reports were meticulously written, others gravely so. Each cold, monotonous data point was a tear of blood, and this painful list was still growing.
Yao Wang Valley had no time for sorrow. Holding fast to their master's teachings, they would never give up.
The best physicians gathered together, working around the clock on treatment plans. Three elderly doctors volunteered as sacrifices, traveling to Nanling to experiment with their lives, determining the infection pathways of the Syndrome.
Bad news kept pouring in...
The transmission route of the Syndrome was not contact, not saliva, not dust... Its spread was invisible and traceless, like an omnipresent aura in the world. As long as someone infected was nearby, the Syndrome would infect others at random. The onset varied in time, making it impossible for early-stage victims to determine if they were infected.
All preventive and treatment methods have proven futile.
It has been discovered that the bark of the Bodhi tree and the Pāraṇa flower can temporarily slow down the progression of corruption. These two plants are commonly found in the cultivation world and were easily obtainable. Once the news spread, people immediately stripped the trees of their bark and plucked all the flowers.
The physicians of the Medicine King Valley are still diligently working, attempting one new approach after another.
They hope for the swift awakening of the Medicine King Immortal Monarch to lead them out of this crisis.
...
Profound fear and utter chaos prevail.
Suspicion is rampant throughout the cultivation world, intensifying with each passing moment.
They believe this calamity was brought forth by the Malevolent Demon of Filth, whose origin traces back to the Divine Lord seated atop the Unfading Summit Throne. The Divine Lord's reign was marked by extreme cruelty and unchecked brutality. During the dark ages, countless innocents met their end by his hand, subjected to unspeakable torment. This disaster is viewed as the heavens' retribution upon humanity.
The solution lies in the demise of the Unfading Summit's Divine Lord, quelling the wrath of the celestial order and thereby curing the corruption ailment.
Initially, this was nothing more than a ludicrous rumor.
Amidst despair, the rumor gained traction, and its believers multiplied. Numerous sects harboring deep-seated resentment toward the Unfading Summit seized the opportunity to join forces, recruiting troops under the banner of vanquishing demons. Their aim was to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Divine Lord and slay the malevolent deity. They sought more supporters, resorting to fabrications, even sending individuals to pose as Medicine King Valley's physicians. They confidently claimed that the Medicine King Immortal Monarch was the Divine Lord's paramour, who had secluded himself for years to research dreadful poisons, making him the root cause of the corruption epidemic.
With the proliferation of falsehoods, the ranks of believers swelled.
The fires of war ignited in every corner, plunging the world into chaos.
Atop the Unfading Summit's throne, Yue Wuhuan's smile grew increasingly sardonic.
He conjured countless birds with his divine thoughts, soaring through the sky, witnessing the world's ugly visage. Observing them, manipulated by the hand of destiny, plagued by dark desires, yearning to strike at the Unfading Summit, himself, and Song Qingshi.
Countless events aligned with the memories of Mo Yuan in Yue Wuhuan's mind, igniting flames of anger within him. This time, he would not play the role of a mere hero.
The malevolent antagonist of the Unfading Summit?
Then let rivers of blood and mountains of corpses once again descend, so the world can witness true malevolence!