The Celestial Path Academy, now a colossal Rank-9 Flying Fortress, hovered over the jagged coastline of the Northern Continent. The air here was unlike the silver mist of the Center or the golden heat of the South. It was heavy, smelling of salt and ancient decay, tainted by the proximity of the Dead Sea—a body of water so dense with negative energy that no ship of wood or steel could float upon it.
Lin Fan stood on the command deck, his Nine Divine Halos dimmed to a soft amber glow to avoid drawing unnecessary attention from the high-altitude demon sentries.
[Divine Library: Scanning Northern Perimeter...]
[Detection: Rank-5 Territory—The Weeping Port.]
[Warning: High concentration of 'Soul-Binding Shackles' detected. The port is a processing hub for human 'batteries'.]
"Teacher, look at the harbor," Ling'er whispered, her Phoenix-enhanced vision cutting through the grey fog. "Those aren't sailors. Those are prisoners. And the guards... they're wearing the armor of the Royal Northern Guard."
"The North has already fallen," Mu Tie said, his hand tightening on the hilt of his frost-blade. "They aren't even hiding the collaboration anymore."
"We land at the outskirts," Lin Fan commanded. "We need information before we strike the Demon King's spire. Lu Bao, you stay with the boat. Keep the 'Void-Stealth' array active. Mu Tie, Ling'er, come with me. We're going to 'The Silent Anchor'—the only tavern left that hasn't been turned into a barracks."
The Weeping Port and the Mysterious Lady
The Weeping Port was a city of ghosts. Humans moved with hollow eyes, their Qi constantly being drained by small, black talismans pinned to their collars. Lin Fan adjusted his robes, concealing his Gold-Purple badge under a simple traveler's cloak.
Inside The Silent Anchor, the atmosphere was thick with the smell of cheap ale and desperation. In a dark corner, a woman sat alone. She was dressed in mourning black, a veil partially covering a face that radiated a mature, melancholic beauty. Despite the gloom, she carried an air of nobility that felt out of place in a salt-cracked tavern.
Beside her sat a young girl, no more than six years old, clutching a small wooden doll. The girl's eyes were wide and filled with a strange, silver light.
[Divine Library: Scanning Targets...]
[Name: Madam Yue. Title: The Exiled Duchess.]
[Status: Widow. Husband: Duke Han (Reportedly KIA).]
[Name: Xiao Yue (Daughter). Bloodline: Silver-Moon Seer (Rank: Divine).]
This was the Third Wife of destiny—the one who held the key to the Northern Continent's secret maps.
"Madam," Lin Fan said, sitting at the table opposite her. He didn't wait for an invitation. "That doll your daughter is holding... the wood is from the Ancient Spirit-Oak. It's the only thing keeping the 'Soul-Drain' talismans from sensing her Silver-Moon Bloodline."
Madam Yue's hand flew to her throat, her eyes filled with terror. "Who are you? Are you one of his spies?"
"I am a teacher," Lin Fan said, his voice dropping into a comforting, resonant frequency. "And I am here to tell you that your husband, Duke Han, did not die in battle."
The Revelation of the Traitor
Madam Yue's breath hitched. "What do you mean? The King himself brought me his broken sword! He said the Demons devoured him at the border!"
"The King lied," Lin Fan said.
[Divine Library: Accessing 'Shadow-Energy' Trace from the Tavern's Atmosphere...]
[Detection: A Stage 9 'Pseudo-Demon' signature is approaching the tavern.]
"Your husband is very much alive," Lin Fan continued, his eyes turning a sharp gold. "But he is no longer a Duke. He has traded his humanity for a seat at the Demon King's table. In fact... he's standing right behind you."
The tavern door creaked open. A tall man in magnificent silver-and-black armor walked in. His face was handsome, almost perfect, but his eyes were a flat, soulless crimson. Behind him walked four Demon Knights.
"Yue'er," the man said, his voice smooth and cold. "I told you to stay in the manor. The streets are dangerous for a woman of your station."
"Han?" Madam Yue stood up, her voice trembling between joy and horror. "You... you're alive? But your eyes... what have they done to you?"
"They have improved me," Duke Han said, his gaze shifting to Lin Fan. "And who is this? A wandering scholar filling my wife's head with fairy tales?"
[Divine Library: Analyzing Duke Han...]
[Flaw: The 'Demon-Seed' in his heart is unstable. He requires the blood of his own kin—a Silver-Moon Seer—to achieve full Demon-Saint status.]
Lin Fan stood up, his cloak falling back to reveal his Master Teacher robes. "Duke Han. Or should I call you General Shura of the Shadow-Legion? You didn't come here for your wife. You came for the girl. You need her blood to complete your transformation."
Madam Yue screamed, pulling her daughter behind her. "No! Han, tell me he's lying! Tell me you wouldn't hurt your own daughter!"
Duke Han's face didn't move. The "man" was gone; only the "flaw" remained. "The girl's potential is wasted on a human life. She will be the catalyst for the new era."
The Duel of the Silver Moon
"Mu Tie, protect the lady and the child," Lin Fan commanded. "Ling'er, clear the tavern. I have a lesson to teach about the sanctity of family."
The four Demon Knights lunged, but they were intercepted by a wall of Phoenix fire. Ling'er moved with the grace of a dancing flame, her talons glowing white-hot.
Lin Fan stepped toward Duke Han.
"You think you can stop me, 1-Star Teacher?" Han sneered. He drew a black claymore that bled shadows. "I am at the Stage 9 Peak. I have been blessed by the King himself!"
"A blessing from a monster is just a curse with a better name," Lin Fan said.
[Teacher's Skill: The Mirror of Conscience.]
Lin Fan didn't use a weapon. He raised his hand, and a massive, glowing mirror appeared between him and the Duke. This wasn't a physical object; it was a manifestation of Soul-Logic.
"Look at yourself, Han," Lin Fan's voice resonated through the Duke's Dantian. "Look at the man you were, and the parasite you've become."
In the mirror, Han didn't see his silver armor. He saw his soul—a rotting, black mass of worms and shadow, feeding on the memories of his wedding day and the birth of his daughter.
"ARGH! STOP IT! BREAK THE MIRROR!" Han screamed, swinging his claymore.
The sword hit the mirror and shattered. Not the mirror—the sword.
[Divine Library: Synthesis—Holy Qi + Truth Frequency.]
"You gave up your family for power," Lin Fan said, walking through the shards of the sword. "So, I will take that power back."
Lin Fan's finger touched Han's forehead.
[Teacher's Skill: The Sovereign's Disenchantment.]
A pulse of light shot through the Duke. The black veins on his face began to retract, but unlike the High Elder in the Pavilion, the Duke's transformation had gone too deep. To remove the demon was to remove the life.
Han fell to his knees, his eyes turning back to their original brown for a fleeting second. He looked at Madam Yue, then at Xiao Yue.
"Yue... I... I'm sorry..."
He dissolved into ash, leaving behind only his silver wedding ring.
The Widow's Choice
The tavern went silent. Madam Yue collapsed, sobbing, while the young Xiao Yue looked at the ash with a strange, ancient wisdom in her silver eyes.
Lin Fan walked over and picked up the silver ring. He handed it to Madam Yue.
"He was a traitor," Lin Fan said gently. "But the man you loved died a long time ago. The one you saw today was just a puppet."
Madam Yue looked at Lin Fan through her tears. "Why? Why help us? We are nothing to the Pavilion."
"You are a mother," Lin Fan said. "And your daughter has a bloodline that can see through the Demon King's illusions. The North needs a Seer, and she needs a Teacher."
Madam Yue stood up, wiping her eyes. She looked at the Gold-Purple badge on Lin Fan's chest. "My husband kept a map... a map of the Dead Sea's underwater currents. He was going to use it to lead the demon fleet to the Southern Continent. It's hidden in the Royal Vault. I will help you get it."
The Heist: The Royal Vault
The Royal Vault was located beneath the King's palace, guarded by a Rank-6 'Soul-Devouring' Array.
"Mu Tie, use your frost to stabilize the floor," Lin Fan directed. "Xiao Yue, use your silver-moon eyes. Tell me where the 'eyes' of the array are."
The six-year-old girl pointed her finger at three different pillars. "There's a black bird sitting on those stones, Teacher. It's biting the light."
[Divine Library: Scanning Array...]
[Observation: The 'Black Birds' are actually Stage 7 Shadow-Parasites.]
"Good eyes," Lin Fan smiled.
He didn't destroy the array. He used his Level 6 'Universe Blueprint Synthesis' to rewrite the array's permission code.
"From now on, this array recognizes the Celestial Path Academy as its owner."
The purple light of the array turned a warm, golden yellow. The heavy vault doors, made of star-iron, groaned and swung open.
Inside, they found more than just maps. They found thousands of Spirit Essence stones and the 'Armor of the Frozen King'—a legendary set that perfectly matched Mu Tie's bloodline.
But in the center of the vault sat the prize: The Map of the Abyss.
The Comedy of the Vault
While Lin Fan was examining the map, a loud CRUNCH echoed through the vault.
He turned to see Lu Bao, who had apparently snuck away from the boat and followed them through the shadows. Lu Bao was currently chewing on a large, glowing purple crystal.
"Lu Bao! That's the 'Heart of the North'! It's the city's power source!" Lin Fan shouted.
"Mmph... sowwy Teacha..." Lu Bao swallowed, his entire body suddenly glowing with a bright violet light. He started to float toward the ceiling. "I thought it was a giant grape... it tastes like static electricity and... blueberries?"
Suddenly, Lu Bao's Donut-Halo expanded, and he let out a massive burp. A wave of violet energy shot out, accidentally powering up every lamp and heater in the freezing city outside.
The citizens of the Weeping Port looked up in shock as their city, which had been dark for decades, suddenly glowed like a midday sun.
"Well," Lin Fan sighed, rubbing his temples. "I guess we don't have to worry about stealth anymore."
The Fleet of Shadows
As they returned to the flying boat with Madam Yue and Xiao Yue, the horizon darkened. The Dead Sea began to churn, and from the black depths, hundreds of Demon Submersibles rose to the surface.
"They know we're here," Mu Tie said, donning his new Frozen King armor.
"Let them come," Lin Fan said. He looked at his system.
[Divine Library: Activating 'Shadow Army' Deployment.]
[Quantity: 10,000 Shadow-Soldiers.]
[Command: Naval Interception.]
Lin Fan raised his hand. "Arise."
From the deck of the flying boat, 10,000 shadows dived into the black water. Unlike humans, the shadows didn't care about the sea's negative energy. They swam with terrifying speed, slamming into the demon submersibles.
It was an underwater massacre. The demons, who thought they were safe beneath the waves, were dragged out of their hatches by blue-flaming shadow hands.
The Road Ahead
Lin Fan stood at the prow as the flying boat began its journey across the Dead Sea toward the Spire of the Demon King.
Madam Yue stood beside him, her mourning veil removed, her eyes filled with a new purpose. She wasn't just a widow anymore; she was the Academy's Administrator for the Northern Reach.
"Master Lin," she said. "The Demon King isn't alone. He has summoned the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each one guards a different layer of the Spire."
"I know," Lin Fan said, looking at the Divine Archive in his mind. "But they have one weakness."
"What's that?"
"They've never had a Teacher," Lin Fan said with a sharp, witty grin.
[Ding! Quest Complete: Recruit the Northern Administrator.]
[Reputation: 2,000,000 (Continental Savior).]
[New Feature Unlocked: 'Library of Souls'—Can communicate with the spirits of the God-Tribe.]