CHAPTER 1045: BACK TO THE SUN

At the same time.

Within the Star Gate.

The Demon Chief and tens of thousands of demons suddenly fell into silence, their gazes fixed on the clear skies above the Bone Path.

An extremely oppressive atmosphere quietly spread.

Sweat beaded on the brows of the demon horde, and even the towering figures among them instantly suppressed their auras, as still as death itself.

A small, sharp-eared demon trembled as it bowed, its voice quivering.

"G-Great One!"

"That human is even more monstrous than the bald one from before! The Blood Sacrifice Array has been shattered!"

The words sent a ripple of terror through the countless demonic eyes.

Even the Demon Chief shuddered violently.

Suddenly, it turned its head, its dark eyes beneath the cloak blazing with fury.

Without warning, it raised its massive leg and stomped repeatedly on the small demon at its feet.

"Shut your mouth! Shut your mouth!"

"Do you think I’m blind? I can see it too! Shut your mouth!!!"

The other demons watched in horror, not daring to make a sound, showing no pity as the small demon was crushed beyond recognition.

Only a withered-looking demon nervously stepped forward and bowed.

"Great One… what should we do about this human?"

The question sent a chill through the demonic ranks.

The Demon Chief froze mid-motion, as if doused in icy water.

"What else can we do?"

"Run, of course! Unless you want to face him?"

The demons’ eyes widened in shock, their pupils dilating with disbelief!

The withered demon hesitantly pressed further, its expression uneasy.

"B-But, Great One… if we flee, the Demon General will never forgive us…"

Before it could finish, the Demon Chief whipped around.

With a swift backhand, it smacked the demon’s head hard, masking its own panic with furious shouting, spittle flying everywhere.

"Nonsense!"

"Is this fleeing? This is a tactical retreat to preserve our demonic forces!"

"Even humans know the saying, ‘Where there’s life, there’s hope.’ How can you, after all your time in Yunxing, be so stupid? You disgrace our noble demonic heritage!" ȒΆNꝋ𐌱ΕŚ

The tirade cowed the demons, who nodded frantically in agreement.

In an instant, the "tactical retreat" was unanimously approved!

...

Bone Path.

Lan Xing and the other two were still reeling in awe, bowing respectfully.

Yi Feng didn’t think much of the so-called terrifying array and humbly brushed off their praise.

His gaze turned toward the end of the Bone Path, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"That light between the two skulls—is that the Star Gate?"

Qing Yin Xianyun steadied her breathing and answered solemnly, "As you say, Senior."

"That is indeed the Star Gate. With no demons in sight, they must be hiding inside. Given their cunning and cruelty, they won’t let us destroy the gate so easily. A fierce battle—or even traps—likely awaits!"

Her two subordinates nodded gravely, bracing themselves.

The tension thickened, and Yi Feng mentally prepared for a brutal fight.

Gripping his great cleaver, he strode down the Bone Path.

After a cautious advance of a thousand zhang, they finally reached the end.

Two towering skeletons, radiating sinister energy, stood guard on either side of the gate. Their presence alone was enough to instill fear. The massive gate, shrouded in dark mist, exuded an eerie and chilling aura.

The gate was slightly ajar, an abyss of darkness swirling within, as if something horrifying lurked just beyond.

Even from a distance, the oppressive dread was overwhelming.

Qing Yin Xianyun tightened her grip on her divine weapon and warned solemnly,

"Senior Yi Feng, please be careful!"

She then barked orders to her companions.

"Prepare for battle! Stay alert and watch each other’s backs!"

The three stood ready, eyes locked on the gate.

But just as they tensed for an ambush—

A loud, panicked shout erupted from inside.

"Hurry! Retreat now!"

"Damn it, Bull Demons, stop cutting in line!"

???

The three exchanged bewildered glances.

The young man muttered in disbelief,

"Did I just hear… the demons are retreating?"

Yi Feng frowned and stepped closer to the gate.

With him leading, the others followed, emboldened. They peered through the crack—

And what they saw left them stunned.

In the thick darkness, demonic figures scrambled in chaos, hastily gathering belongings, arms full of random items…

Even with one figure trying to direct the chaos, it was utter pandemonium.

At a glance, it looked like refugees fleeing a famine.

The scene was beyond absurd.

Qing Yin Xianyun and her companions were dumbfounded, jaws practically on the ground.

Yi Feng’s face darkened like a storm cloud.

"These are the cunning, ruthless demons you spoke of?"

His voice was icy. He’d been hoping for a life-or-death battle—if not death, at least a level-up.

But before he could even step inside, they were already running?

All that tension for nothing.

Qing Yin Xianyun’s expression twisted, at a loss for words.

"Uh…"

How could she have known the demons would be like this?

This defied all logic. Even with Yi Feng’s help, demons—known for their bloodthirsty nature—shouldn’t have retreated so easily.

The more she thought, the more confused she became, her worldview shaken.

What she didn’t realize was what Yi Feng’s single sword strike—shattering their Blood Sacrifice Array—meant to the demons.

Suddenly—

Qing Yin Xianyun’s eyes flicked to the great cleaver on Yi Feng’s shoulder, suspicion dawning.

It looked ordinary, yet showed no reaction to her divine weapon’s pressure. A normal sacred weapon would’ve dimmed or even cracked under such force.

Given its crude appearance, it should’ve shattered outright.

The more she stared, the more alarmed she grew.

A terrifying realization struck her.

Yi Feng’s blade…

Was also a divine weapon!

Otherwise, it couldn’t withstand the aura of her own.

Whoosh!

The truth hit her like a thunderbolt, her eyes widening.

She’d assumed Yi Feng broke the array through sheer power. But now, it was clear—his weapon was at least divine-grade.

That made it even more terrifying!

Even in Lan Xing, divine weapons were rare.

In the isolated Yunxing, cut off for 100,000 years, possessing one was unheard of. Yi Feng’s strength was fearsome enough, but this revelation about his background was even more staggering.

Another wave of awe washed over her.

Qing Yin Xianyun truly understood the saying "there’s always someone greater." Any trace of her innate pride vanished.

Bowing slightly, she dared not meet Yi Feng’s gaze directly.

"Senior."

"We owe this success entirely to you. But the Star Gate remains intact. With your permission, I shall complete our mission."

Wait—no more enemies to fight?

Yi Feng blinked, his heart sinking.

Qing Yin Xianyun stepped forward, her sword radiating terrifying energy. Green light wove around her like threads, painting her as an untouchable goddess, cold and majestic.

"Senior, please step back a few paces."

Hearing this, Yi Feng had no choice but to retreat, standing several zhang away with the other two.

Qing Yin Xianyun gripped her sword with both hands, and the gemstone began to emit a dazzling radiance. The Celestial Divine Sword awakened once more, countless brilliant lights converging and intertwining, piercing straight into the dark abyss of the sky.

Her tall and slender figure seemed insignificant before the thousand-zhang-tall gate, yet she exuded an overwhelming aura, as if she herself were a divine sword—untainted by the filthy black mist.

Before that brilliant light, the endless black fog was illuminated, frantically churning and retreating.

With a single slash of her sword, the Star Gate was split in two by the sword's radiance. The earth trembled violently as the massive gate was engulfed in the boundless sword light. The black mist within the gate desperately fled deeper, as if its very existence had been severed.

"BOOM!!!"

The deafening roar echoed, shaking heaven and earth.

The colossal Star Gate was devoured by the light, and the enormous skull crumbled into dust.

In an instant, the black mist that had once shrouded the world began to dissipate. The trembling of the earth grew more pronounced, and the hazy, fog-covered path became clear. All the white bones and blood-red flowers scattered like decayed wood in the wind...

Sunlight gradually broke through the clouds, revealing the desolate land once more.

Not a trace of black fog remained, nor the once-feared path. The Star Gate had vanished completely, as if it had all been an illusion. Though the land bore scars, the world had finally returned to clarity.

The clouds parted, and sunlight bathed the earth.

The boundless darkness that had once reigned was finally dispelled by the warmth of the sun!

The two subordinates exchanged glances, their faces alight with excitement as they clenched their fists and cheered.

"We did it!"

"Amazing! The mission is finally complete!"

Standing to the side, Yi Feng remained expressionless, a sense of emptiness rising in his heart.

The joys and sorrows of others were not his own—he couldn’t muster even a shred of happiness. He hadn’t even had the chance to exert himself, and just like that, the so-called demonic threat was over.

Seriously…

After taking a deep breath, Yi Feng finally spoke again. "Is there anything else you need to do? Should we check other places?"

Qing Yin Xianyun smiled at his words.

"Our mission to Yunxing was solely for the sake of the demonic threat. Now that the Star Gate has been destroyed, the demons pose no immediate danger to Yunxing. There’s no need for us to go elsewhere—we’ll return at once to report everything."

Huh?

He hadn’t even had the chance to act as a guide, and yet their task was already finished.

This was way too easy.

Yi Feng waved his hand helplessly. "Fine, fine. Let’s head back then."

The three of them nodded respectfully.

After a brief preparation, the four began their journey back.

With the spatial gate destroyed, no more demons or black fog could be summoned. The dark regions across Yunxing gradually receded, allowing light to return. Naturally, their return journey was far smoother than their arrival.

Several days later, the flying vessel came to a halt at the entrance of the Stellar Corridor in the void of space.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qing Yin Xianyun turned to Yi Feng, her clear eyes shimmering with unspoken emotion.

"Senior, your assistance this time will not be forgotten. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will do my utmost to repay your kindness."

Seeing the extraterrestrial maiden about to depart, Yi Feng considered the matter settled.

Though he hadn’t gained much from this venture, he was still glad the demonic crisis had been resolved. At the very least, he’d done a good deed and made a few new acquaintances.

Out of courtesy, he smiled and extended an invitation.

"Why not stay in the village for a few more days to rest?"

Qing Yin Xianyun’s eyes filled with gratitude, her tone even more sincere.

"Thank you, Senior, but we have urgent matters to attend to and must return immediately. This demonic incursion was highly unusual—we must report it as soon as possible."

"When we meet again, I will surely repay your kindness."

Yi Feng nodded slightly, his curiosity about the maiden’s homeland growing stronger.

Lanxing was undoubtedly more advanced than Yunxing, boasting divine artifacts he had never even heard of. Without a doubt, that planet must be teeming with powerful figures.

If he could go to Lanxing, wouldn’t his quest for death become far more promising?

Even if he couldn’t die, the rate at which he gained experience should speed up, right?

The old plan resurfaced in his mind, and Yi Feng seized the opportunity to ask, "You promised before that once this mission was over, I could go to Lanxing. Can I come with you now?"

Qing Yin Xianyun blinked in surprise before replying with a light laugh.

"Senior, you jest."

"My earlier promise was made in ignorance—I hope you can forgive my presumption. With your cultivation, you are naturally free to visit Lanxing."

"However… your strength is extraordinary. If you wish to go, we must first report it to avoid unnecessary complications."

She then added with earnest anticipation,

"When we return, we will surely inform you of the arrangements. Then, we can invite you to Lanxing and fulfill our duties as hosts."

Hearing this, Yi Feng nodded.

That made sense. Given his status as a powerhouse, some formalities were to be expected.

"Safe travels, then," Yi Feng said with a cupped-hand salute.

"Until we meet again, Senior."

The three bowed respectfully before boarding the flying vessel.

Moments later, the vessel vanished into the endless depths of the Stellar Corridor.