115 Fingers pried open the earth (2/2)

Yuan Xuelan jolted in his steps and looked at Liu Sumeng with wide startled eyes. He was leaning away as if instinctively trying to make distance.

Liu Sumeng ignored how this hurt his heart. He kept his voice steady and a little soft, ”Keep up, don't dawdle.”

At this point, Yuan Xuelan could recognize the subtle differences between when he was being scolded and when Liu Sumeng was trying to awkwardly comfort him.

For an instant, he relaxed into the touch, soothed by Liu Sumeng's gentleness.

”I…” But he remembered that this person did not like him the same way he liked him. A silly pettiness hearkened self-hatred. Yuan Xuelan shook himself out of Liu Sumeng's hold. ”I'm sorry, I'll pay attention and follow your lead.”

”...”

They were led to a small plaza that had once been the heart of Hengsheng and welcomed many peddlers and travelers.

”It's here,” the Seven Moons Elder said, clutching her bloody shoulder.

But there was nothing there. The plaza was quiet like the rest of the town. There were stalls of rotting fruits of vegetables. Old animal carcasses rotting and carriages left forgotten. But nothing else. No overflow of corruption, resentment, or any other spiritual energy that simmered or saturated the air.

The three walked around to investigate but Yuan Xuelan's face was quick to pull into a grimace, ”Are you pulling our legs?”

Liu Sumeng's gaze was a lot gentler when he looked at the woman, but was still imploring.

She shook her head and pointed at the cobblestone ground. ”It's there.”

With a wave of her hand, a large array appeared under their feet but soon the symbols burned and disappeared. It was a simple concealment spell. Once dissipated, there was an obvious whirl of uncomfortable energy that brewed beneath the ground. To say it was resentful energy would be wrong. It wasn't quite like demonic energy either, nor spiritual energy.

There was a hint of corruption, but not thick in the way of resentful energy. It was powerful and volatile like demonic energy and also elegant and precise like spiritual energy.

Whatever it was, it felt wrong.

”So how do we get to it?” Hui Moxiang shivered, instinctively taking a step back.

”I will leave that to yourselves.” The Seven Moons Elder sighed as she sat down next to an old abandoned carriage. ”I have done my job.”

”Thank you,” Liu Sumeng hummed as he drew Mingshui, ”you may leave with your disciples. Go find somewhere safe.”

”Hah, no need to concern yourself with me,” her lashes fluttered closed, ”I will just rest here a little. I'm sure my cute disciples have already run off, the cowards.”

Even as they investigated and prodded, everything was eerily still.

”So, what now?” Hui Moxiang stomped against the hard ground without any effect. The sky was dark with howling winds and though he might have been a demon, Hui Moxiang felt chills creep down his spine. ”We draw the thing out?”

”Yes,” Liu Sumeng answered, ”Fallen Gods will not move without being commanded. But they will still react to being attacked.”

The demon hummed, ”You sure know a lot, Liu-ge.”

Yuan Xuelan rotated his shoulder and drew Silei, ”Draw it out huh? Well if it's just lying around under dirt like a corpse, that's not a big problem.” He stabbed the ground with his sword. The blade glowed red along with the heart of his eyes, raging with wildfire.

Orange lights escaped between cobblestone, lighting the ground beneath their feet. A deep rumbling sound was heard through the earth.

Boom!

Crack!

Long, deep blue fingers pried open the earth.

From it, emerged an enormous figure, taller even than the tallest man standing almost one zhang[1] in height. Unlike a corpse creeping out of its grave, it did not grumble or groan mindlessly.

The Fallen God was female in appearance with a round dainty face. Her hair was long enough to trail on the ground and it was like a beautiful silk scarf. Her eyes were calm and half-lidded with fanning lashes that hovered over eyes completely black, including the scleras. Her dress was black and gray with subtle hints of midnight blue, matching the deep tinge on her skin.

She had no words for them but hummed in a low feminine tone that resounded in the air from all directions.

When she looked upon Yuan Xuelan, he instantly felt that this monster was gazing right through his soul. He trembled at its sight, containing his terror with a sneer of aggression.

[1] 3.58 metres (11 feet 9 inches)