Chapter 275

Chapter 275: The Darkness Enveloping the City, Mu Lin Unleashed

"Scram!"

The bone-chilling rebuke left Sacrificial Star frozen in disbelief.

He’d anticipated various reactions from ‘Lin Qiu’ upon his arrival – solemn wariness, panicked fear, indignant arguments, or even naive defiance. At worst, he’d expected futile resistance as the ultimate display of disrespect.

But this immediate contemptuous dismissal? Unthinkable.

The sheer unexpectedness first stunned him, then ignited volcanic fury within. This rage exploded when he sensed the smirking gazes of his peers – the other demon sect’s divine children – watching this humiliation unfold.

"Pathetic worm! You who can’t distinguish clouds from mud dared provoke me? I meant to grant merciful death, but now…" His voice dropped to glacial depths, eyes blazing with malice. "You’ll beg for death’s release through endless torment."

…

The audience relished every moment. Jiang Yingying, Six Desires Demoness, and Blood River openly reveled in the spectacle – both Sacrificial Star’s disgrace and ‘Lin Qiu’s’ impending doom.

"Scram! Hah! When’s the last time anyone dared bark at him like that?"

"Decades at least. Look how his face purples!"

"Serves the stone-faced poser right."

Their mockery soon turned to Mu Lin.

"Insulting Sacrificial Star openly? Reckless bravery or sheer stupidity?"

"Stupidity," Blood River sneered. "The fool can’t grasp the chasm between ants and giants. He’ll soon choke on regret."

Jiang Yingying nodded. "Indeed. That Lin Qiu reeks of ignorance."

Six Desires Demoness Man Rong sighed theatrically. "True wisdom lies in self-awareness. Pity he’ll die before learning this."

As judgmental whispers swirled, Mu Lin finally raised his head – features stormy.

Sacrificial Star’s intrusion had shattered his rare enlightenment trance. For ordinary cultivators, such epiphanies come once in a lifetime… if at all.

Thus, Sacrificial Star’s disturbance was like a feud as bitter as avenging a father’s death for ordinary people – an irreconcilable life-or-death conflict.

Though Mu Lin wasn’t ordinary and the interrupted enlightenment didn’t harm him much, that didn’t mean he’d spare the offender.

"You deserve death!"

Blinded by rage, Mu Lin abandoned his plan to deceive Ghost Shadow from Ghost Sect and unleashed his full power.

"Hum!"

As Mu Lin released his energy, crimson Other Shore Flowers suddenly bloomed around his feet, spreading rapidly across the ground.

"Rustle!"

Within moments, Mu Lin stood amidst a hauntingly beautiful sea of blossoms.

The appearance of this Other Shore Flower sea draped the battlefield in surreal mystery.

Sacrificial Star’s eyebrow twitched at the sight of Manjusaka flowers.

He still didn’t grasp the danger. His prior investigation of Ping An Ancient City had made him cautious about Manjusaka, so when Mu Lin attacked, he sneered instead of retreating.

"Pretty flowers," he mocked. "But mere decorations in my eyes! You think these can defeat me? Keep dreaming…"

He aimed to crush Mu Lin’s spirit, wanting his enemy to die fearful and regretful. But his gloating froze when he saw the overwhelming number of blossoms.

"Thirty-three hundred instead of thirteen hundred? You hid your strength. No matter…"

Sacrificial Star locked eyes with Mu Lin, speaking slowly: "A thousand or three thousand, Manjusaka can’t touch me… Huh?!"

His smug declaration broke off as the flower sea trembled. The thirty-three hundred Other Shore Flowers emitted synchronized pulses, merging into a single entity that suddenly vanished – along with Ping An Ancient Town.

Before Sacrificial Star and the demon sect’s divine children’s eyes, the entire town disappeared.

"Lin Qiu’s illusions affect me?" Sacrificial Star paled. "Impossible! I activated Dark Star visualization!"

Outside, the watching demon sect talents suffered greater shock. Sacrificial Star believed Ping An Ancient City still physically existed, thinking only his five senses were fooled. But Jiang Yingying, Blood River, and Six Desires Sect’s Man Rong knew better – their distance and power shielded them from Mu Lin’s illusions.

Yet under such circumstances, Ping An Ancient Town still vanished before their eyes. This proved Mu Lin’s illusions weren’t just deceiving a single person’s five senses – he’d shrouded an entire city.

The difference between tricking one person and hiding an entire city was staggering.

Precisely because it seemed impossible, Mu Lin’s actions left Jiang Yingying, Blood River, and the others both awestruck and deeply perplexed.

"How? How can he affect an entire city?"

Fa Yan spoke gravely: "Though illusions excel at wide-range concealment, a whole city exceeds any Condensing Essence level cultivator’s capability. Not even combining Essence and Evil could achieve this…"

He turned suspicious eyes toward Jiang Yingying. "You’re certain Lin Qiu’s at Condensing Essence level?"

"Absolutely…"

As they spoke, the demon sect’s divine children employed various detection spells.

To their credit, these heirs possessed real skill. Through Fa Yan’s Heavenly Eye and Blood River’s Hundred-Eyed Blood Gaze, the blurred outline of Ping An Ancient Town became faintly visible.

Then came a resonant hum.

Darkness fell.

【Cycle of Life and Death】

Impenetrable night swallowed everything. Neither Heavenly Eye nor Blood Gaze could pierce this void. The ancient county vanished completely from their sight.

Dread crept into their hearts.

"Sacrificial Star… is doomed."

Someone wheeled on Jiang Yingying, expression twisted. "You called this harmless? A man who blankets cities in darkness and illusion?"

Blood River clicked his tongue. "Cold-hearted indeed."

Fa Yan nodded grimly. "They say the Yin-Yang Harmony Sect kills with honeyed words. Now I see it’s true. Poor Sacrificial Star."

Jiang Yingying shivered under their accusing stares. This display surpassed even her capabilities. Had she attacked Lin Qiu earlier, she might have been the one trapped.

"Brothers," she pleaded, "I never lied! I didn’t know Lin Qiu’s true power!"

Mocking laughter answered her.

……

Inside the smothered town, Sacrificial Star cursed as darkness defied all dispelling attempts.

"That treacherous whore set me up!"

Like his companions, he blamed Jiang Yingying. But survival instincts kicked in.

"Ascend Star!"

A dark celestial body erupted from his soul, his consciousness riding its ascent – signature technique of the Star-Moon Sect. Their arts mimicked celestial detachment, granting Trait of Transcendence-like abilities.

From this heightened perspective, reality should have clarified. Instead, war’s foggy darkness persisted. The Cycle’s night wasn’t mere illusion, but actual transformed reality.

Panicking, Sacrificial Star leaped skyward.

Mu Lin’s cold voice echoed:

【Illusion and Reality】

"Boom!"