Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 30

[Vol. 6] Chapter 30: The Corpse Demon

“What do you mean by demons that are good at lurking and hiding? Indirectly, you said my spirit compass show is useless! Are you just backing her up because she’s a pretty girl?”

“……”

“Ah, Brother Zhe, forget it, forget it. Mr. Murong is just looking out for everyone’s safety. There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. After all, he’s been down here several times on his own…”

“Right, right! Mr. Murong, please don’t mind, Brother Zhe just speaks his mind. He actually has a lot of respect for your strength.”

As the argument escalated to personal attacks, the other two disciples from the Guiyuan Sect saw things getting out of hand and quickly intervened, pulling the leader away.

The middle-aged man in white robes shook his head helplessly.

“I’m not angry, it’s just that this Brother Du Zhe really underestimates this place. With this attitude, it’s easy to…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Murong Yun suddenly stopped, turning abruptly. His pupils constricted in an instant!

Because the spirit talisman he was using to sense danger had unexpectedly and abruptly turned into a ball of green flames!

“Everyone, be careful!!!”

“Crack, crack, crack, crack!!!”

As Murong Yun tore off the now useless talisman and shouted a warning, the spirit compass in the hands of the green-robed cultivator, Du Zhe, began to oscillate wildly and erratically.

The spoon-shaped pointer on the compass didn’t point to any specific location. Instead, it spun rapidly in circles, like a compass disturbed by a powerful magnetic field, or like a startled bird, unable to follow any predictable pattern.

No, there was another possible explanation.

They had been surrounded by the enemy.

“B-Brother Zhe, the spirit compass…!”

“Shut up, I can see it!”

Such an unusual sight made it clear, even to the slowest of people, what was about to happen. Although the green-robed cultivator, Du Zhe, was arrogant, his reaction was swift and flawless. Without saying anything further, he immediately raised his hand!

A bronze sword spun rapidly in his hand, growing larger by the second. Without turning his head, he shouted loudly!

“Form the [Three Energy Return to Origin] Formation!”

“Ah!”

“Good!”

The other two green-robed individuals had obviously worked well together for a long time, moving in perfect synchronization. As soon as Du Zhe gave the order, they swiftly took their positions behind him. The three of them each stepped onto one point, forming the formation. Three bronze swords simultaneously pointed toward the sky, and a simple yet complete formation immediately took shape beneath their feet.

“[Three Energy Return to Origin]!”

A cyan halo spread out from the formation they stood upon, turning into a barrier-like structure, though it seemed a bit different. The magic circle moved with them, enclosing the space around them.

What surprised Violet was that despite all the previous noise and his apparent disdain for the other temporary team members, when it came time to face the battle, this guy still used the formation to protect everyone.

This was far more costly than just using it for themselves. Violet had originally thought he would be more selfish.

Hmm, it seems that at least these three weren’t scheming anything underhanded.

At that moment, a cold, eerie wind swept in.

“Whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo…”

“Ugh!”

The chilling, icy wind raged through the rocky, underground valley, howling through the caves and crevices, carrying with it eerie sounds like the cries of ghosts and evil spirits. The young girl in the couple was so frightened that she instinctively curled up and immediately hid behind the young man.

With no way to avoid the situation, Murong Yun immediately got into position, vigilantly observing the surroundings, trying to locate the attacker and figure out their true identity.

At that moment, Ling Feng suddenly shouted urgently.

“Mr. Murong! Move left!”

“!?”

Hearing the warning, Murong Yun instantly rolled to the side without hesitation. The next moment, a skeletal claw, withered and decayed, suddenly shot out from the rock behind him, as though it had fused with the stone itself, aiming at the spot where his heart should have been.

“Crack!”

The pale bone joints clashed together, making an unpleasant grinding sound. Although Ling Feng didn’t take action, Bai’er immediately drew her sword in a flash, severing the bone claw from the stone.

The claw fell to the ground, twitching for a moment before falling still, like a severed tail detached from its body.

“Hey, what kind of fierce demon is this? How dare it break into our Guiyuan Sect’s [Three Energy Return to Origin] Formation?!”

Du Zhe, the green-robed cultivator, maintained the formation beneath his feet, isolating the surrounding dark energy and invisible malevolent forces as much as possible. He glanced in shock at the severed bone claw that had fallen nearby, looking quite incredulous.

“It’s a [Undead Bone Demon], an extremely stealthy and tricky creature. These bone demons are quite powerful. They can hide their demonic aura to this extent… Thank you for the warning, Miss Ling Feng. Everyone, be careful, and don’t get too close to the walls or protruding rocks.”

Murong Yun quickly gave his assessment, nodding gratefully toward Ling Feng before turning his attention back to the surroundings, staying alert for another attack.

Violet had indeed heard of this creature before. It wasn’t anything particularly special, but in the context of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]… it became something else entirely.

These demons typically appear in places where large numbers of lives have been lost, such as battlefields or mass graves. They are bizarre entities formed from the bones of the dead, which, after being nourished by resentment and malevolent energy, regain the ability to move.

To put it simply, they were the so-called “skeleton monsters.”

However, on another continent, skeletons were often created by necromancy or similar powers, like those in the [Forgotten Land], which had been turned into a deep pit by a certain dragon maiden.

In this world, skeletons were typically the lowest-level creatures in the undead hierarchy, acting on instinct or under the control of others.

But the Bone Demons in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] are completely different.

The key lies in the force of the world’s essence that gives rise to the [Yokai].

This force, drifting between heaven and earth, is similar to a special type of energy molecule that not only nourishes all things but can also transform lifeless, sentient beings over the course of many years. The vast majority of human cultivators increase their power through specific practices that absorb this energy.

To put it simply, the essence of heaven and earth can nurture all things.

And through a certain transformative force in the [Ancient Spirit Realm], this essence of the world becomes twisted, turning into malevolent energy that causes the birth of demonic creatures, like the Bone Demon, monsters that are similar to skeletons but far more powerful, dangerous, and even treacherous.

This process is likely similar to what caused the rise of dark energy on the land during the appearance of the Holy Moon. However, Violet has yet to understand what exactly is behind the force that causes the essence of heaven and earth to become disordered.

“It seems that the Bone Demons in this [Tidal Deep Valley] are likely the result of corpses from those who fell and drowned here over the years. Under the nurturing influence of dark energy, these corpses have transformed into demonic beings. The number of these Bone Demons is probably considerable.”

Hearing Ling Feng’s whispered words from not far away, Violet nodded but didn’t give a direct reply.

The next moment.

“Ahhh! Guard, protect me!!!”

A sudden, panicked scream came from behind.

Even without turning around, the priestess could tell it was the girl from the young couple at the back who had shouted.

Murong Yun had already warned everyone to avoid the rocks and walls, yet this fool, like an idiot, ignored the advice and leaned up against the wall. As a result, a skeletal claw shot out and grabbed her leg. In pain, she was so scared that her words were incoherent.

Hey, where did this young lady run off from?