Chapter 18: The Night's Assault

On the second day, Aunt Ye Six stayed behind to handle a great deal of food and did not join the hunting party. The team was down by one, but this time, they did not fish at the edge of the poisonous wheat fields. Instead, their task was to clear the wild beasts surrounding the village—a job that rarely involved dangerous, large animals.

Yun Qing requested the captain to let her hunt the beasts herself, provided it would not hinder the group’s main purpose. If her unconventional methods resulted in a reduced yield, she was willing to accept less—or even none—of the reward.

The group was not particularly interested in killing beasts that hadn’t reached the Innate stage. Since someone was eager to do more work, none of them objected.

Yun Qing still lacked the silver to buy a bow and arrows, but her own strength sufficed: throwing stones was enough to kill ordinary animals.

Perhaps it was the aftermath of the black panther’s attack the day before, or the influence of her passive skill of indomitable will, but today, facing snakes and wild boars, Yun Qing no longer felt the intense emotional waves of yesterday. She could calmly judge exactly when to throw a stone and which spot to aim for to inflict the greatest harm.

In her spare time, she would help with chores and gather herbs, while busy hours were spent hunting. Upon returning to the village, she worked part-time at the smithy. Her days in Ye Family Village were busy and fulfilling.

She earned extra silver from gathering herbs and received a share for hunting. All these funds Yun Qing used to study passive skills.

Learning passive skills made her more adept at gathering, crafting, and fighting.

With some silver in hand, Yun Qing added essential supplies: a coarse beast-hide robe, a matching backpack, and other necessities.

The hunting party grew increasingly familiar with each other. Yun Qing learned that Ye Wenjing was at the ninth layer of the Innate stage, while Ye Xiaolang’s strength was unknown but matched Wenjing’s in combat.

Ye Mingyu was level 26 but had not reached the Innate stage; yet, he seemed capable of using internal energy. Yun Qing often saw him attempting to pick or purify items shrouded in black qi.

Master Li, though he did not pay her silver as compensation, gifted her a damaged second-hand bow. Once repaired and strapped to her back, her combat prowess advanced sharply.

Master Liu provided daily rations for Liuliu. Although not wealthy, Yun Qing no longer withheld food from the furry child. As long as there was meat, Liuliu would speak more pleasantly.

Liuliu: I am artificial intelligence; I speak as my master wishes.

Yun Qing’s levels steadily increased; after just over a month in Ye Family Village, her character was level 17, gathering skill 19, crafting 17, and combat 18.

She had not entered the cave dwelling for a detailed inspection; energy remained scarce.

Other than Ye Mingyu, the Innate warriors of the hunting party had warmed to Yun Qing after some time together. Yun Qing planned to save up their favor for a five-fold draw.

...

“Damn it! It’s happening again with no warning.”

Captain Ye Mao shouted, “Run! Get to the protective formation before the Night swallows us!”

That day, Yun Qing had just collected a qi-boosting ginseng when she heard shouts and clamor.

She slipped the freshly dug ginseng into her backpack and looked toward the opposite direction from Ye Family Village.

With a single glance, her heart trembled.

In the distance, a wall of darkness stretched straight to the sky, like a towering barrier. That darkness seemed capable of devouring everything. Nothing could be seen through it—not even the sun. The dark wall, appearing slow, was in fact sweeping rapidly toward them.

Its blockade of sunlight caused the once-bright landscape to dim swiftly.

Was this the Night? The protective formation?

Was the protective formation the defense structure maintained regularly in the village?

Yun Qing recalled Master Li at the smithy mentioning the Night. He said he had seen cultivators during the Night, but she hadn’t paid much attention to what the Night actually was.

She had been more interested in sects and cultivators; now, before she could meet either, the Night—something she’d never cared for—had arrived first.

Ye Xiaolang urged, “What are you still doing? Run! Any more delay and we won’t make it back.”

“Alright!” Though she didn’t know what danger the Night posed, the captain and Ye Xiaolang’s tension meant it was nothing good.

They had only ventured outside the village to clear beasts threatening the crops and hadn’t gone far.

Elsewhere around the village, several villagers with bundles—herb gatherers, woodcutters, miners—were all running toward the village. Their expressions were stern, tinged with fear, as if the dark wall behind them spelled grave danger.

Even so, no one abandoned their bundles; they ran, encumbered, rather than empty-handed.

The tense atmosphere and the oppressive dark wall made Yun Qing nervous as well. She increased her pace, striving to reach the protective formation before the darkness arrived.

Ye Wenjing and Ye Mao moved swiftly, closing in from behind, slowly overtaking Yun Qing.

“This Night came so suddenly. I hope Ye Family Village can withstand it.”

“We must endure. I sensed something wrong early this morning and had Father request help from Yunquan Town. I hope he sent out the request then.”

“If the village chief hadn’t sent it earlier, he surely has now. I wonder when the sect cultivators will arrive.”

Yun Qing followed behind, listening to their conversation, and learned a little.

It turned out that Ye Wenjing was the village chief’s daughter and possessed a keen intuition. The village had a remote communication device—possibly a sound-transmitting talisman or a messenger flying sword.

Unable to resist, Yun Qing asked, “Excuse me, what happens if Ye Family Village can’t hold out?”

Hearing her question, Ye Wenjing’s face changed, and she replied firmly, “We’ll make it through. There’s no other option.”

Ye Mao said, “Ye Family Village would become the next poisonous wheat field. Few would survive.”

“What’s inside that wall-like darkness?” Yun Qing, now more familiar with the hunting party, asked without much hesitation.

Ye Xiaolang answered, “No one here has ever entered the Night. They say the air inside is full of deadly poison; after a short time, people, animals, and plants all succumb to the toxins.”

Yun Qing recalled the infected, black-qi-shrouded creatures near the poisonous wheat fields—it must be the very poison Ye Xiaolang spoke of.

“You’re all so powerful. Can you use internal energy to resist the poison?”

Ye Mao laughed, “You overestimate us. Our internal energy is thin—perhaps we’d last only a few breaths.”

“So, if someone’s internal energy is deep enough, they can survive the Night?”

Ye Wenjing smiled, “The poison isn’t the most terrifying thing. It’s said there are many invisible demons inside. If someone persists in the Night, the demons attempt possession.”

“Possession!”

“Yes. Those possessed either become soulless corpses, like walking dead, or are no longer themselves—they’ve become demons from beyond.”

Demons? Soulless corpses like zombies? Or practitioners of corpse cultivation? Demons from beyond?

If possession succeeds, it becomes an extradimensional demon. Yun Qing suddenly remembered she’d prepared to play a Xianxia-themed invasion game before crossing over. Extradimensional demons were those not native to the Central Continent?

Could that dark wall truly be the gateway to an invasion from another world?