Journey to the End of the Night
Chapter 72 - 72 72 Keeping You Safe

72: Chapter 72: Keeping You Safe 72: Chapter 72: Keeping You Safe He felt a sense of relief wash over his face as he looked at the two with grim expressions and chuckled lightly, “Just two puppets have stirred up a bloodbath and fouled air in the Mountain Realm.

The person manipulating you from behind must hold quite a high position within the Demon Sect, right?”

Yang Zhao and Huang Kang’s eyes narrowed instantly as their gaze toward Baili An changed abruptly, “You little brat…

you really can’t be left alive!”

Baili An took out the wind chime from his waist and held it up, saying, “Then let’s all die together.

With so much innocent blood shed, there ought to be wicked souls to sacrifice.”

“No, Si Chen, my brother!

You cultivators can fight all you want, but we mortals are innocent!”

At once, the group of villagers huddled together became vehement as they witnessed the scene.

“Yes, what did we do wrong?!

Why are you treating us like this?!

I don’t want to die!

Please have mercy, and put down that bell.”

“These two adults said no innocent would be harmed.

Once this matter is settled, they will let us go home!”

The expressions of grief and anger of the crowd seemed to say it’s your fault for causing trouble here.

If we die in the Corpse Tide, it’s all on you!

“Have some shame, will you?

Over the years, who has protected us?

The Mountain God!

And who saved us from that monstrous creature’s axe?

It was Young Master Lin and Si Chen!

Without them, you’d be dead long ago.

Promise not to harm the innocent?

They have killed so many, even decapitating Young Master Lin, and you still call that not harming the innocent?

We’re all mortals.

It’s already embarrassing enough not being able to seek revenge for them!

And now you even want to appeal for protection from these demons?

Pah!”

The speaker was the same village girl who admired Baili An.

Although her frame was small and weak, the determination to fight to the death in her eyes was something most men couldn’t match.

Her older brother also spat out vehemently, “To be fellow villagers with you lot is my disgrace.

How can you demand others to lay down their supposed ‘mercy’ and sacrifice their lives just so you can barely survive?

Wake up!

Would Young Master Lin have drawn that beast surnamed Wen if not to save us?

And you, Qi Yang!

Acknowledging the thief as your father, stay away from me!”

“Do not drag us into your desire for death!

If that madman puts down the wind chime, we can all live.

If not, it means death for all of us.

My old mother still needs me to support her, I don’t want to die!”

“Right!

This is a fight between cultivators!

Why should we mortals bear the consequences?

I have a child at home who’s only three years old.

If she loses her father, how will she and her mother survive?!”

The girl sneered repeatedly, “How shameless of you to say such things!

Last year, Li Er, your mother nearly froze to death at home during the New Year, yet you were out drinking and having fun!

And you, Wang Dachun!”

Her eyes fiercely glaring, “Whenever you come home drunk and upset, who do you take it out on if not your wife and child?

They go all year round with bruises on their faces.

For the sake of survival, you truly abandon all shame!”

The argument was already heated and uncontrollable, yet people like the sister and brother who stood defiant were few and far between, mostly filled with people angrily cursing Baili An.

Baili An remained unaffected.

His hands held the wind chime steady and unshaken, completely detached from the uproar around him.

Unlike Wen Yu’s personality of fearing death and greed for life, Yang Zhao and Huang Kang were not manipulated by the wind chime.

They both sneered coldly, “Is this your reliance?

Laughable!”

They looked at Baili An with mocking eyes and suddenly clenched their fists.

As Wen Yu and the others watched in horror, the two wind chimes in Baili An’s hands seemed to be crushed by two forces and, with a crackle, frightening fractures appeared on their own.

Two crisp sounds later, the wind chimes shattered to pieces.

Baili An looked down at the broken bell chords fluttering in the wind.

His gaze was not particularly emotional, his pinching fingers loosened, letting the chords be carried away by the night breeze.

The incessant growling and snarling of the Corpse Tide abruptly fell into a sinister silence.

Then…

the scene spiraled out of control, with nothing left to restrain them.

The most primal brutality and madness erupted instantly.

The beastly roars, like terrifying waves, sent chills down everyone’s spine.

The black mass of Corpse Tide and demons tore at each other while frantically spreading toward the crowd.

Not to mention the mortals in the mountains, who were nearly scared out of their wits, even the disciples from the sects felt a chilling dread as if facing the end of the world.

Wen Yu fell on his backside, his face a mask of panicked despair, “No…

no!!

I don’t want to die!

I haven’t yet succeeded in inheriting the River of Blood!

I haven’t claimed dominion over the Four Seas!

I haven’t returned to Nanze Mountain!

I don’t want to die!”

Yang Zhao and Huang Kang smiled coldly, lifting Wen Yu up with their icy hands and bringing him face to face with themselves.

Facing the surrounding evil ghosts and demons tearing toward them, the dark swords in their hands swept horizontally, and a black sword Qi sliced open a gap among the evil spirits and demons that were closing in.

Wherever the sword Qi passed, the ground turned to scorched earth.

The power emanating from the two at this moment was incredibly strong and overbearing, faintly indicating the third realm of the mortal world, the Sea-Expanding Realm.

Considering the horrific strength of just these two puppets, it was difficult to imagine how unfathomable the person manipulating them from behind was.

Yang Zhao leisurely patted Wen Yu’s cheek with his palm, sneering, “What’s there to fear?

Even with so many demons and evil spirits here, with us protecting you, need you fear losing your life?”

Feeling the strong aura emanating from the two, Wen Yu’s pale and frightened face looked somewhat better.

He swallowed hard, choosing not to speak further.

Meanwhile, his young disciple Qi Yang, who carried on his master’s fine tradition, outdid him with his wailing that was even more piercing.

“Ah ah ah!!

Master!!!

It hurts so much!!!

I don’t want to die!!!

Save me, Master!!

Senior Sister is already gone, and I am the only disciple left to serve by your side!!!”

Wen Yu’s face soured, thinking to himself that he could barely save his own skin, let alone spare the time to drag along such a burden.

Numerous mortals existed in the world, with countless seeking to become his disciples—why would he miss just one?

Wen Yu had always been heartless, so naturally, he turned a deaf ear to his disciple’s cries for help.

Baili An’s knuckles turned white as he clutched the Autumnwater Sword.

However, unlike Wen Yu who lost control, even though his strength fell short of Wen Yu’s and he was alone without protection,

He still didn’t move an inch, protecting Lin Yuan by standing in front of him, taking out the Glazed Treasure Umbrella and stirring his Spiritual Power to open it, shielding Lin Yuan from above.

Beneath the wide brim of the umbrella, a glow poured out, enveloping Lin Yuan.

The Glazed Treasure Umbrella, capable of blocking the sun’s yang energy, naturally could also withstand the attacks of these evil ghosts and demons.

He still remembered when he first met that lady in red; her single powerful sword strike was much stronger than Yang Zhao and Huang Kang.

Yet still, the Glazed Umbrella firmly protected Baili An.

Lin Yuan, within the circle of light, looked up at Baili An with a changing complexion and urgently said, “Si Chen, what are you doing!”

Baili An’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was very determined, “Keeping you safe!”