Gulp.
As the sky darkened beneath a swarm of Soul Eaters, every Ta Lo guardian swallowed hard.
Their expressions turned solemn—almost tragic.
For over four thousand years, the Ta Lo guardians had clashed with Soul Eaters countless times. They knew exactly how terrifying these creatures were.
And this number…
This scale…
Hopeless.
Even if they fought to their last breath today, they were destined to die.
But at least—
Before death—they had witnessed the Dweller-in-Darkness being slain.
That alone brought them a sliver of comfort.
"Loose!!"
Ying Nan's sharp command rang out.
Dozens of guardians lifted their bows and fired.
Ssshh! Ssshh!
Ssshh! Ssshh!
A chorus of arrows sliced through the air.
Several Soul Eaters were shot dead instantly.
But compared to the endless swarm in the sky?
It was nothing.
A drop in the ocean.
"Again!"
Ssshh! Ssshh!
Two volleys later, the guardians threw down their empty bows.
The swarm had already reached them.
There was no time.
They drew their dragon-scale blades, spears, and staves.
CRACK!
Just then, a violent sonic boom split the air.
A gale swept across the battlefield, nearly knocking everyone backward.
Before they could react—
Their vision blurred.
And then—
WHUMP!!
Alex landed in front of them like a descending meteor.
Calm.
Unhurried.
He extended a hand.
HUMMM—
A wall of pure psychic force manifested out of thin air.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Soul Eaters slammed into the invisible barrier one after another.
None could pass.
Not even a centimeter.
"...Haaah!"
A collective exhale of relief escaped the guardians.
But Alex didn't stop.
He focused on a single Soul Eater behind the wall and clenched his fist.
SPLAT!!
It exploded into fragments under sheer psychic pressure.
But the next moment—
The pieces dissolved into smoke…
And reformed back into a fully intact Soul Eater.
As lively as ever.
"So even blowing them to pieces doesn't kill them…"
Alex instantly understood.
Only Ta Lo's dragon-scale weapons could end them.
"Here—use ours!"
Ying Nan offered her staff without hesitation.
"No need."
Alex smiled.
He lifted his hand—
HUMMM—
All the fallen dragon-scale arrows on the ground trembled…
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
They rose into the air like a flock of sentient birds.
And then—
They shot forward.
Ssshh! Ssshh! Ssshh!
Arrows tore through Soul Eaters one after another.
And to the guardians' utter shock—
As each arrow killed a Soul Eater, it didn't fall back down.
It curved mid-air.
Changed direction.
Shot toward the next target.
Just like flying swords in a cultivation novel.
Ssshh! Ssshh! Ssshh!
Arrows spiraled across the sky, weaving between the swarm like reapers harvesting souls.
One Soul Eater after another burst into smoke—
Gone forever.
The guardians stood frozen.
"This…"
"They're… they're being slaughtered like sheep…"
"This is impossible…"
For them, Soul Eaters had always been a nightmare.
Yet in this man's hands—
They were nothing more than helpless livestock waiting to be culled.
Ssshh! Ssshh! Ssshh!
After a few more minutes, the sky fell silent.
Every last Soul Eater—
Dead.
Not one remained.
"Alright," Alex said casually, dusting his hands.
"Problem solved."
Silence.
Then—
"W-We're saved!"
"Both the Dweller and the Soul Eaters—gone!"
"Praise the heavens!!"
The guardians erupted in cheers.
Faces flushed.
Eyes shining.
Four thousand years of fear—
Gone in a single day.
And their divine protector, the Great Protector dragon, didn't even need to appear.
Because this man—
Was stronger.
"Young man… you saved Ta Lo."
Ying Nan approached, her voice filled with awe.
Earlier, Alex had claimed he would kill the Dweller-in-Darkness.
She thought he was insane.
Who would believe such wild boasting?
Yet—
The "boasting" turned out to be understatement.
He had done the impossible.
He did it effortlessly.
"Honestly," Alex shrugged, "that demon was asking to die."
"Indeed," Guang Bo said, solemn.
"Provoking someone like you… it truly brought death upon itself."
If the demon had simply stayed sealed and behaved, it might've survived forever.
But it just had to lure outsiders.
Just had to stir trouble.
And in doing so—
It invited a monster stronger than itself.
A reaper dressed as a man.
Self-inflicted death indeed.
What followed was obvious:
Ta Lo treated Alex like the most honored guest in their history.
Ying Nan herself guided him through the village, showing him their sacred lands, mystical beasts, and ancient traditions.
They even prepared a grand feast in his honor.
The atmosphere was joyous.
"Ta Lo is always closed to the outside world," Ying Nan said as she walked Alex to the exit.
"We've never welcomed outsiders."
"But you, Alex…
You are an exception."
"You are always welcome here."
"You will forever be Ta Lo's friend."
"I will," Alex nodded.
He genuinely liked this place—
A hidden land full of Eastern culture, mystic beasts, and cultivation-like energies.
A perfect vacation spot.
"Well, this is goodbye for now."
He turned to leave—
But suddenly stopped.
His expression tightened.
Because—
His super senses had picked up something.
Someone else…
Had arrived at Ta Lo.
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