T/N: Just want to say a HUGE thank you to Dersbyth for joining my membership program, I really appreciate the support, it really means the world to me and would need the support so i can continue working on these fics, again dude, thank you so much!~ (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡
Chapter 57
The entire grotto-heaven of the Cangcheng Xianzhou was collapsing.
Buildings crumbled in massive sections. Deep, bottomless fissures split the ground, and from them countless writhing masses of dark-red flesh surged upward like living things, striking terror into everyone who saw them.
This flesh spread rapidly like a virus, devouring everything in its path.
Those swallowed by it could never break free again.
Three figures stood atop flying swords, darting swiftly between ruined buildings, none of them daring to touch the ground.
High above in the unseen darkness, incredibly violent imaginary energy continued to bombard Rahu in a desperate attempt to save the devoured Cangcheng.
Kanzaki Tomomu knew that General Wind of Evil had rushed back.
But he knew even better that it was already too late.
"Marshal Kanzaki, what on earth is this thing?!" Hanya's voice trembled.
"A living planet. An Abomination of Abundance," Kanzaki Tomomu replied, his brow heavy with suppressed emotion.
He had never expected Shuhu to have such a hidden trick. There had been no such terrifying existence during the battle at Yueque years ago.
"Before I rescued the two of you, I encountered the fallen Cangcheng Sword Champion and Yaoqing Sword Champion."
"They most likely charged into that writhing flesh to save others, only to become one of the countless agonizing faces trapped inside, never to emerge again…"
Hearing Kanzaki Tomomu's words, disbelief flashed across the sisters' faces.
Those were the strongest warriors of the Xianzhou besides the Generals themselves. If even they could not stand against Rahu… no wonder Kanzaki Tomomu refused to set foot on the ground and kept moving on his sword.
At this moment, Rahu had completely enveloped the Cangcheng, devouring it bit by bit from the outside in.
No one knew when the ground itself would be fully assimilated by Rahu's flesh.
Flying on his sword consumed a great deal of energy, yet Kanzaki Tomomu could not stop.
The closer they drew to the interior of the Xianzhou, the more survivors they found and the harder evacuation became, but time was running out.
The three arrived at a star skiff port that had not yet been fully devoured. It was packed with terrified civilians.
Hordes of visible Abominations were charging in, and the Cloud Knights stationed there could barely hold them back.
With a single thought from Kanzaki Tomomu, a thousand flying swords swept into the crowd of Abominations of Abundance and slaughtered them without mercy. Supported by covering fire from the star skiff reinforcement units, the enemy was quickly wiped out.
"Take them and go. Fly to the highest point. General Wind of Evil is continuously attacking Rahu to keep our final evacuation route open."
"Yes!"
Yet misfortunes never come alone.
Countless Abominations of Abundance began crawling out of the writhing flesh, sweeping through every grotto-heaven.
The Cloud Knights and the Sky-Faring Commission's combat fleet were already struggling to maneuver, and the efficiency of locating and rescuing survivors dropped sharply as a result.
Fortunately, General Wind of Evil could still provide long-range support, frequently summoning gale-force winds that snatched up the rampaging Abominations and tore them to shreds.
Even so, he could not unleash his full power. If the area of effect grew too wide, he would inevitably strike his own people.
Kanzaki Tomomu felt both relieved and deeply worried.
Relieved that the Qingyun Grotto-Heaven had not yet been completely devoured, but worried whether his mother and friends had already met with disaster.
By his calculations, Yu Huai and his companion should have returned from Pier Point not long ago.
All Jade Sign communication frequencies had been completely cut off, rendering them useless.
If the Cloud Knights had no other methods of contact, they too would have lost touch with one another.
With duty weighing on his shoulders, Kanzaki Tomomu could only fight his way through the Abominations, rescuing civilians as he gradually made his way toward the Qingyun Grotto-Heaven.
After an unknown stretch of time, he finally reached the Qingyun Grotto-Heaven, but the sight before him was like a vision of hell.
Several armies of the Abundant Alliance had invaded from different directions. The level of devastation here far exceeded anything in the outer areas.
The sky was stained with Rahu's crimson hue. The ground had become a bloody mess, and hardly any living people remained, only the thick, nauseating stench of blood and the overwhelming aura of Abominations.
Kanzaki Tomomu's heart slowly sank to the bottom.
"Kill!!"
A roar sounded from behind.
The Sky-Faring Commission's combat fleet arrived through the air, sniping every Abomination in sight.
A murderous aura surged in Kanzaki Tomomu's eyes as he charged alone into the front lines to slaughter the enemy.
These Abominations posed no real threat to him.
In less than ten minutes, the Cloud Knights and the fleet had cleared most of the Qingyun Grotto-Heaven and begun moving the remaining survivors.
His home and the academy where he once taught now lay in ruins.
There was no sign of his mother, nor of his friend's family.
No news might be good news, but it could also be the worst.
Kanzaki Tomomu's grip on his sword tightened. His expression shifted rapidly.
Just then, a sharp and familiar sword intent soared into the sky.
"!!!"
Kanzaki Tomomu reacted instantly, snapping his head around to lock onto the source in the distance.
That sword intent belonged uniquely to his mother.
...Qiu Zhiyan gripped her longsword, looking as if she had fallen into a frenzy. She tirelessly cut down every Abomination of Abundance that lunged at her, fiercely shielding Jingliu behind her.
She no longer knew how long she had been fighting.
The wounds on her body kept multiplying, yet she felt no pain.
She knew only one thing: she could not retreat.
Behind her stood a child. Yu Huai and Hui Yu had risked their lives to pull the girl away from the devouring flesh and the pursuing Abominations, holding on until Qiu Zhiyan arrived.
The moment Qiu Zhiyan took Jingliu's hand, the two adults were completely swallowed by Rahu, dying gruesome deaths right before the girl's eyes.
After that came wave after wave of Abominations of Abundance.
Borisin, Wing-Makers, Serpent Descendants… they were endless.
"Come on!"
Qiu Zhiyan roared as she slew dozens of Borisin with a single strike.
The eyes of these bloodthirsty beasts burned with hunger for slaughter and plunder.
Qiu Zhiyan's sword moves had long since grown erratic. They were no longer the orthodox Cloud Knight swordsmanship of the Xianzhou, but something far more primal and violent.
Every strike carried pure madness, hacking the Abominations into pieces.
But there were simply too many.
A Wing-Maker flapped its massive wings and lunged from the side. Its talons raked across her left shoulder with lightning speed.
Flesh tore open, exposing bone.
She let out a muffled groan, grabbed the creature's claw, and slammed it into an oncoming Serpent Descendant before hacking them both into mincemeat with a flurry of strikes.
Jingliu hid behind her against a ruined wall, clutching her arms tightly. Her red eyes, wide with fear, refused to close as she watched Qiu Zhiyan fight her bloody battle.
"Don't be afraid, child. I'm here."
Qiu Zhiyan could sense the girl's terror and comforted her in a voice that was gentle yet carried an eerie undertone.
Another wave of Abominations surged forward.
Qiu Zhiyan's consciousness began to blur as something deep inside her body fully awakened and took control of most of her mind.
In an instant, the wounds on her body healed at a visible rate.
The longer she slaughtered, the more the light faded from her eyes. Her pupils turned blood-red, releasing a terrifying gaze even more brutal and murderous than that of the Borisin.
The Abominations closed in from three sides to surround her. Qiu Zhiyan let out a beast-like howl.
The longsword in her hand erupted with world-shaking sword intent. She took a large stride forward, crouched low, and delivered a horizontal slash.
An invisible sword qi swept across the battlefield, slicing every charging Abomination cleanly in half.
The ruined buildings behind her were not spared. Their severed surfaces gleamed as smooth as mirrors.
Most of the Abominations within a several-mile radius fell to that single earth-shattering strike.
Kanzaki Tomomu rushed toward the source of the sword intent at top speed.
The few remaining Abominations in his path tried to block him, but they were all cut down.
His heart pounded faster and faster as an ominous premonition coiled tightly around his mind.
Rounding the last piece of rubble, he saw everything.
His mother stood covered in blood amid a pile of Abomination corpses, severed limbs, and mangled flesh.
She was still alive.
Kanzaki Tomomu felt a sharp pang in his heart and opened his mouth to speak, but in the next second he went cold all over.
Qiu Zhiyan turned around.
Her eyes held nothing but a pure desire for slaughter. Her gaze was murky and frantic.
Golden, wood-like patterns had appeared across her face, and faint branch-like protrusions were visible just beneath her skin.
The mara-struck.
The fate of the Xianzhou's long-lived species, and also their curse.
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T/N: I really feel sorry for Kanzaki... (っ╥﹏╥ς)
Also if you want to read advance chapters for all my work, go to my p@treon~