True Face
Ye Yuyan stepped out of the black vortex along with the rest of the group. Around them were two high mountainous walls and scattered on the ground were various ashes. The whole world looked of gray, the sky was dark with no stars glittering with no moon in sight.
In the small indents of the valley were black weeds that reached to the ends of the valley. The black vortex still spun behind Ye Yuyan and others as they stared deep into the dark valley.
"We have a few hours before this vortex seals again. It's harder to get out than it is to get in so we mustn't pass the deadline." Han Yi warned the group.
"Ye Yuyan, you can guide us for the rest." Han Yi spoke with no expression on his face as he gestured for Ye Yuyan to take his place.
Ye Yuyan stopped talking to Maven and walked to the front of the group. As he walked forward, there was a crunching sound beneath him coming from the weeds. He kept vigilant as his eyes scanned across each section of the valley they strode across.
He walked 40 meters before stopping and tapping the ground once and closed his eyes to concentrate. He raised one finger and added a second before continuing.
Ye Yuyan took a crunching step before he suddenly went stiff. His perception extended out a few meters yet all he could perceive was total darkness. Noticing his stiffness Maven, Nesilia, and Han Yi all became guarded.
"Make no sudden movements..." Ye Yuyan whispered quietly as he reached into his robe. He removed a black runic dagger. He gripped the handle with the blade facing down.
Maven's hand slowly moved towards his sheath and Nesilia gripped her grimoire tighter. Only Han Yi seemed unperturbed as he made no movements.
Ye Yuyan swung his dagger in front of him as a black claw inundated with black flames slammed against it. From the crash, there was a loud demonic shriek and the sound of clanging from the sharp claws and the dagger.
Ye Yuyan pushed forward forcing away the claw as it shrieked once again, "SSSCCCREEECCCHHHH."
From the shadows emerged a shadowy monster with two sharp claws. All over its body were constantly constricting and expanding black flames. It's red beady eyes scanned over the group as its demonic tongue slobbered.
"Is there only that one?" Maven said as he stared all around them.
"No, there are much more." Nesilia mumbled nervously as she gripped her grimoire tighter.
"Damn beasts!" Han Yi roared from his throat, his angry vibrating voice amplified by many levels. Suddenly he exploded into an intense pool of lightning, Maven and Nesilia moved back a step as Han Yi's lightning expanded rapidly.
Before the lightning pool could finish forming, fifteen more beasts roared out of the shadows and jumped through the lightning.
Arcs of lightning bounced around in the pool slamming into the leading beast. The lightning seared and burned the beast's flesh leaving an awful decaying smell but the beast still proceeded through the lightning pool.
"ARRRGGGHHH" The beasts shrieked as they trekked through the lightning pool. Everyone stood behind Han Yi as his lightning guarded them all. They were less than 1 foot away from Han Yi's body at the center of the lightning pool.
A beast reached out with its black claw swinging forward with the sword like nails, jumping into the lightning pool without hesitation. The lightning continuously seared the beast's flesh which only increased its anxious efforts to harm Han Yi.
The beasts piled on top of each swinging out with demonic shrieks and suddenly Han Yi took a step back and covered his face. Blood dripped from his cheeks as a black mist tried to enter through the cut.
"Scram!" Han Yi roared with furious furrowed brows, the surrounding lightning seethed as he clenched his teeth harder and harder. The lightning exploded illuminating the shadows and burning the beasts at a high speed.
Their flesh turned into smoke, the bones into ashes, and their essence into nihility. The lightning continued to grow as arches of it slammed into the valley walls. The group moved back quickly avoiding Han Yi's intense electrical powers.
Han Yi took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The surrounding lightning cooled and gathered around his body. Only when the lightning completely receded onto his body did he finally exhale.
'What a horrifying power, he completely exterminated them.' Ye Yuyan couldn't help but remark.
Han Yi adjusted his breathing for a moment then he coldly stared and Ye Yuyan and said: "Continue on."
Ye Yuyan nodded his head and crossed the sea of ashes. There was still some remnant lightning crackling on the ground as he walked across and divined once again. He raised his right arm and counted a few figures before taking a step and doing it once again.
As Ye Yuyan focused on divining each step through the valley, Maven and Nesilia conversed.
"All these horrifying hell warriors, their strength is no less than a 2nd step warrior." Maven said with a shaking voice. Nesilia couldn't help but gulp herself.
What they deal with are demons and fallen, Fallen are humans that use heretical powers. Hell warriors are a fallen that have made pacts or got used in demonic rituals and became transformed into beings of pure devil qi.
So rarely are hell warriors themselves strong because their strength depends on the demon.
"Don't worry that was most of Illathar's hell warriors. It took most of his energy to cross from the other side." Han Yi consoled them with a knowing tone. At that moment Ye Yuyan suddenly stopped and sat down.
He closed his eyes and calculated; he flicked his robe sleeve, and a scroll appeared in his hand. In his other hand appeared a quill and then he drew at a fast speed. His elegant and swift lines coiled together as if alive.
In a few moments, the picture was complete! It was a vivid slab of black marble shaped like a tombstone stabbed into the ground. Ye Yuyan threw the scroll up to the sky with one hand and the ink bled off the scroll, the long drips of ink dripped onto the ground turning it black.
Then various spots of blue glittered in the empty sky. Slowly the various spots grew and intertwined becoming larger and larger revealing the true sky it hid. This was the uncanny valley that demons create when they manifest!
Moonlight from a grand immemorial era illuminated the valley and the glittering vault of heaven revealed all secrets. The darkness receded in front of Ye Yuyan as if fleeing into the valley.
With each passing second more and more of the valley became illuminated. The first place where the darkness passed was a gigantic tombstone that reached to the top of the valley.
Behind the marble were more and smaller slabs of black. After the smaller slabs were shallow holes and wooden slabs, and beyond that were nothing but black ashes.
"This is...." Nesilia stuttered out dumbfounded.
"The Immortal Graveyard." Han Yi said with a childlike wonder, he couldn't help but smirk.
"All these bodies..." Maven gulped as he tried to find the end of the graveyard but it extended far off into the horizon.
"Here lies my body with heaven as my witness." Ye Yuyan read off the black slab as he stood up from the ground.
As the graveyard captivated everyone, Han Yi reached into his pocket and removed a letter. He opened it and on it was already a letter extending halfway down the paper.
But suddenly red letters manifested on the remaining part of the paper. Han Yi's brows furrowed as he clenched his teeth and fist all at once.
"We need to move, Yunshi couldn't keep Illathar away for long, he's coming soon!" Han Yi warned with an anxious tone.
"How long?" Maven asked nonchalantly, Han Yi looked confused by Maven's tone but he still responded: "Thirty minutes..."
"Good... that'll be more than enough." Maven chuckled sinisterly and suddenly reached for his sword sheath. With one swift motion, he drew his rusty sword and swung out at Han Yi with a dominating silver sword beam.
Han Yi's eyes turned into slits as he tried to dodge back but the sword beam was too fast. The sword energies crashed into his chest flinging into the valley wall and leaving a sword scar across the valley wall.
"What are you doing?!?!" Nesilia said as her eyes opened wide with confusion.
"Ha haha." Maven laughed uproariously as he grabbed the hilt of his sword and stabbed it into the ground.
The rust peeled off revealing a pristine white sword that shined like moonlight. The ground erupted with steam that shot out of everywhere. The steam condensed into a strong fog that completely engulfed the whole valley.
Maven's body peeled apart too, the layers of skin and clothes completely disappeared. His originally bald head grew long luscious white hair and his wrinkles vanished.
What was left of a Maven was a handsome and young man with a sword that shined like moonlight and the transcendent demeanor of an expert.