56 Chapter 54 - Attack of the Yin Fiends

From the forest came the sound of feet shuffling through piles of dead leaves and scraping nails tearing away at the bark of the naked trees. Fen Hou strained his senses, ears listening for minute differences in the sounds made by the creatures moving in the fog, blazing eyes scanning constantly for signs of motion that would give any clue about the nature and number of enemies slowly surrounding them.

Ao Wen reached for the door of the stout stone building, unsurprised to find it locked tight. From the fog, Ao Wen watched in revulsion as first one, then two, then many shambling figures began to emerge. The first few figures still bore many traces of their humanity, they wore the tattered remnants of refined clothing, and school uniforms bearing the emblems of both martial and scholarly disciplines. Those once proud scions of wealthy noble families had been reduced to twisted shambling mockeries of humanity. Their arms had lengthened along with their claw-tipped fingers, many with hands that dangled loosely below their knees as twisted legs propelled them forward at a slow shuffling pace. Skin had split and torn over bone growths that protruded from their once refined jaws and eyes of any color had faded to a dull gray that stared mindlessly forward searching only for something on which to feast.

Behind the first wave of still somewhat human Yin Fiends marched a wave of true monsters. Some crawled their way forward on four thick fleshy limbs that had once been arms and legs but now resembled the clawed feet of a giant tortoise connected to backs that had become thick and leathery and heads that stretched forward on half-meter-long necks, long forked tongues sampling the air and beedy glowing eyes staring at Ao Wen's party with a burning hatred as though they resented them for retaining their beautiful human appearances. Alongside the shambling four-limbed monstrosities, other creatures towered even taller than Champion Bo, their bodies covered in thick black hair with the consistency of metal wire, powerful meaty fists dragging along the ground, hot breath steaming from between grotesquely enlarged tusks.

"We're doomed," Alchemist Chu shouted. "We have to run before we're overrun!"

"Speak for yourself little man," Champion Bo roared, striding out towards the onrushing horde with his massive iron staff held loosely resting on one shoulder. "Sister Cong," his gravely voice boomed. "We can kill these ones, right?"

"Yes," Ao Wen said, wasting no time on unnecessary words. "Buy me time to open the door," she snapped, pulling several vials and a thin silver straw from her spacial ring before turning back to the door.

"I'll defend the door," Shi Tan said curtly, her icy aura flaring sending her snow-white hair dancing on the wind that only she and her azure flags could feel. Formation flags danced in her fingers, fluttering in the wind as she drove them into the ground in a semi-circle around the group, forming a protective ring four meters across. Between each azure flag, icy energy flared, filling the space between the flags with a swirl of snowflakes. The snowflakes started small but rapidly grew not only in size but in number until a swirling storm of piercing icy flakes danced between the flags, shielding the trio who took cover by the door.

Outside the protective barrier, Champion Feng Hou smiled as flames spread from his sword to wreath him in a golden aura that blazed like the sun. "Looks like it's down to us Brother Bo," he said, voice rich with mirth despite the horrors shambling towards them. "Care to bet on who kills more of these abominations?"

Champion shook his head, iron staff already swinging in his meaty hands. "You can't kill what's already dead!" he roared, smashing his staff in a flat two-handed arc, tearing through the first of the shambling former students like a chopstick through tofu sending blood and bone splattering across the ground before him. Pivoting without slowing his staff, the mountain of a man leaped high into the air, coming crashing back down to the earth with an explosive swing of his staff. The earth shook with the impact of the heavy blow a chasm three meters wide and a dozen meters long spreading towards the advancing Yin Fiends from the point of impact. Dozens of shambling Yin fiends tumbled into the depths of the earth, never understanding the threat before them.

"I see how it is," Feng Hou laughed, lifting his sword to point at the sky and the sun that couldn't be seen through the dark Yin Fog. "Golden Crow's Searing Talons!" he shouted to the skies, unleashing his golden energy, and conjuring a flaming three-legged golden crow that soared into the skies. Moments later, a piercing crow's cry descended from the sky followed by three groups of three flaming swords! Each flame sword was longer than Feng Hou was tall and carried the searing might of an enraged sun god! Descending to the earth like the talons of the Golden Crow divine beast, each sword tore through at least two of the shambling Yin Fiends, searing flesh and bone alike leaving nothing but scattered ash in their wake.

"What are you doing," Alchemist Chu said looking at Ao Wen as she poured vial after vial down the thin silver tube and into the lock on the door. "Alchemists aren't lockpicks, you're not going to medicate a door into opening for us!" he said, unable to continue to contain his scorn for this puffed-up spoiled brat from the core sect.

"Not every concoction is meant for humans or even living things," she said, mind still focused on her task. "Now be quiet, ratios matter!" Ao Wen snapped, reaching for the next liquid that would act as a catalyst for the powerful reaction she was about to trigger within the lock.

"No, I don't think they do," the alchemist said, standing up straight and allowing his powerful aura to roll foth, blanketing the area protected by Shi Tang's formation with a thick and oppressive Yin Darkness. The whites disappeared from his eyes, his gaze filling with haunting black energy as thick purple veins spread from the corners of his eyes, crawling down his neck and vanishing into his elegant black robes. "This is where things end," he said, hands moving like striking serpents as he stepped close behind Ao Wen, trapping her arms in a one-handed bear hug while his other hand brought a wicked obsidian knife to her throat. Spinning around he put his back to the door, displaying his hostage to Shi Tan and the Champions. "EVERYONE STOP MOVING RIGHT NOW!" Alchemist Chu bellowed, his voice carrying an ominous and inhuman resonance.

Shi Tan's eyes widened in shock, fingers dancing as she prepared to command the swirling ice shards of the barrier to attack the inhuman Alchemist Chu only to freeze moments later as she realized that she couldn't injure the Alchemist without also causing equal if not greater injury to the Celestial Fairy he had taken as his hostage.

"WELL DONE LITTLE CHU," a thick rasping voice called from within the fog. The Yin fog itself roiled parting as if it had been commanded by the powerful entity that emerged behind the remaining Yin Fiends. The ground churned, worms and beetles crawling from the soil as though even the smallest of insects were terrified of the hideous and evil presence approaching Ao Wen and her companions. The stench of decay became more and more intense, invading nostrils like forceful fingers, prying at eyes until it brought forth stinging tears, crawling down thoughts to dredge forth a mouthful of bile as though the stench itself demanded a physical tribute to overwhelming disgust.

Both Champions stilled holding their mighty weapons aloft and glancing between the hostage Celestial Fairy and the advancing presence of dread.

Step by step, fallen leaves rotted away into mulch filling the air with an increasing aura of rot. The bodies of students and teachers that had piled up by the building began to blacken, skin splitting open and spilling forth puss and thickened blood as though they'd been left to rot in the summer heat for months in mere moments.

Finally, the fog parted to reveal a mature man who at first glimpse might be mistaken for human. Luxurious black robes draped his tall, slender frame, complementing elegantly coiffed ink-black hair showing no traces of silver despite advanced years. Closer inspection, however, revealed the preternatural pallor gracing his angular features. Nails peeking from his voluminous sleeves had elongated into curved black claws no amount of polish could disguise. His steady gait whispered of bone and sinew condensed far denser than mortal limits.

The greatest monstrosity, however, lurked in his eyes. Their obsidian depths reflected no hints of humanity, neither empathy, pity, nor remorse shadowed that chilling void. One could see the chilling scene in front of the stone building reflected in his eyes as though they were dark mirrors, but no amount of peering into the twin voids of his eyes would reveal the thoughts churning behind them.

"Yes," the terrifying scholar rasped, his voice echoing as though blown here from the depths of a long-forgotten tomb. "You've done well in your mission. But the girl you've brought me doesn't look like Qi Yue! WHERE IS THE DIRECT DISCIPLE OF THE MEDICAL SAINTESS?" he bellowed, shaking the limbs of trees with the might of his voice, scattering the ice shards of Shi Tan's barrier and snuffing out the golden flames on Feng Hou's sword.