The road of withdrawal waslong and silent. each step pressed into mud and rotting vegetation, making sticky sounds. Itlike treading on the survivors' heavy hearts. The Ten Thousand Poison Marsh's colorsstill eerie, poisonous insects still lurked. Butthat suffocating massive demonic pressure from the Hall of Ten Thousand Souls had already vanished. even the ubiquitous colorful poison miasma seemed somewhat thinner. Itrevealing the long-missed sky that was still dim but no longer completely blocked.
Sun carried unconscious Tang Xiaoqiwalked at the very front. Hishis steps were steady yet every step carried an indescribable heaviness. Xiaoqi lay on his back. Hisface pale, breathing faint but even. Itas if merely falling into deep sleep. However Sun can clearly. this youth bearing strange fortunes and repeatedly creating miracles was now no different from a mortal, even more fragile.
Iron Wall and another Shadow Snake membersupporting Mu Qingfeng, carrying Aunt Su on the back, followed closely. Mu Qingfeng's eyes were tightly closed. Hisbrow tightly furrowed from the pain of origin exhaustion. Hisbreath faint as a gossamer. entirely relying on the two people inputting faint spiritual power to sustain life. Aunt Su was like an exquisite doll without life. her face was pale without a trace of blood color. . Itas if it would scatter with the wind at any moment.
Liu Yunwalked at the rear with sword. Herher spine remained as straight as the sword in her hand. but those phoenix eyes had lost their former radiance. only the bottomless exhaustion and desolation remained. Herinternal organs were severely damaged. the sword-holding arm trembled slightly. every step tugged at the injuries within the body. But shestill stubbornly performed the rearguard duty. her gaze vigilantly scanned for possible dangers around. even though this danger seemed insignificant compared to what they just experienced.
No one spoke.
silence, like an invisible boulder, pressed on everyone's heart.
Had they won?
Yes. Soul-Controlling Jade shattered, demon lord's fragment soul annihilated, Nine Heavens Demon-Sealing Array reinforced, the Shadow Snake Pavilion headquarters that ravaged for a hundred years turned to ruins. Theycompleted the nearly impossible task, prevented a calamity that could sweep the world.
But this victoryhow tragic, how heartbreaking.
Xu Zhan thatthe once upright Xu Lan Mountain Manor Lord, for destroying the Soul-Controlling Jade, for creating a sliver of chance for his son, chose the most resolute method. Heself-detonated Golden Core, soul scattered. did not even leave a trace of possibility for reincarnation. in the end, he could not even preserve a trace of remnant soul. Hecompletely dissipated into heaven and earth. Sun's backcould no longer feel the warmth of that faint soul fire. only Xiaoqi's cold body temperature.
Aunt Suthis woman of complex identity who repeatedly extended help at critical moments and ultimately created an opportunity for them at the cost of her life was now hanging by a thread between life and death. that faint vitality seemed as if it would completely sever at the next moment. her sacrifice, her righteousness, so heavy one could not breathe.
Mu QingfengQingxu Temple's Senior Brother, steady, wise, considers the big picture. yet at this last moment, for stabilizing the seal, did not hesitate to exhaust her own source. now unconscious, Dao Foundation damaged, future uncertain.
and also Tang Xiaoqi, this youth they watched grow up, bearing blood feud, possessing Purification and Four Symbols power, originally a genius with boundless prospects. now had his meridians completely severed and cultivation utterly destroyed. that mysterious and powerful Four Symbols jade pendant was even more completely shattered. Helost his father, himself also reached the edge of destruction. how should the road ahead be walked?
besides, the Shadow-Breaking Alliance also paid heavy casualties in the perimeter feint attack for this operation. those unnamed allies shed their blood in this filthy marsh.
Qingxu Temple disciples participating in this operation, though not directly entering the core, also had some seriously injured and some killed in perimeter support and blocking.
every sacrifice was an irreplaceable trauma. every price was like a brand etched into the survivors' souls.
Theytraversed through the gradually thinning poison miasma forest. occasionally could see battle traces, broken demonic artifacts, shattered talismans, and long solidified blackened blood. seemingly distant sporadic pursuit and battle sounds came. that was the Shadow-Breaking Alliance purging the remnants of the Shadow Snake Pavilion. but the scale was already small.
the fruit of victory was soaked in too much blood and tears.
when the group finally completely left the Ten Thousand Poison Marsh and stepped on relatively solid land no longer completely covered by poison miasma, the first rays of morning sunlight pierced the dawn mist and fell on them.
sunlight brought warmth but could not dispel the bone-deep chill and heaviness.
Sunstopped in his tracks. he looked back at that land of death still covered by faint colorful mist. Hisgaze complex. Iron Wall and othersalso quietly stopped.
Liu Yunwalked toSunby one's side. she looked at Xiaoqi still unconscious lying on his back. she reached out and extremely gently brushed away some mud stain on his cheek. her movements were careful as if afraid to disturb something.
"We should go back." shesaid softly, voice hoarse and exhausted.
return. return to Qingxu Temple, to that place that might provide shelter and treatment. carrying this hard-won news, the wills of the departed, the wounds of the survivors, and the long and difficult road of reconstruction and recovery ahead.
sunlight illuminated their tired and scarred figures, casting long shadows behind them. the victory's price was so heavy that any cheering would be pale and powerless. But they still lived. The mission was completed. This perhapswas a fortunate misfortune.
The group set out again silently toward the distant horizon toward the unknown tomorrow.