Yan Yu sheathed her Bloodthirsty Sword and took a deep breath, steadying her excitement after the prolonged battle.
Surveying the fallen cultists and abyssal beasts scattered before her, she knew the fight here was over. Without thinking, she murmured,
“This should do it.”
“You did great, Sister Xiaoyu,” Yan Qi, who had been fighting alongside her, stepped forward with praise.
Yan Yu scratched her head sheepishly. “Ah, it was nothing.”
“Don’t be so modest, Yan Yu. You really did an amazing job,” said Daoyan Empress, Yan Qi’s controlled doppelganger, as she approached after confirming the battle’s end.
Hearing her voice, Yan Yu quickly turned. “Daoyan, I’m not being modest. By the way, should we stick to our earlier plan?”
Understanding what she meant, Yan Qi saw no reason to object and had Daoyan Empress nod. “Yes, let’s proceed as we agreed.”
“Great. Then, Daoyan, go ahead and burn that Flesh Bloom.”
“Mm.”
With a nod, Yan Qi guided Daoyan Empress toward the grotesque Flesh Bloom nearby—one that Yan Yu had already half-crippled. Unlike its ordinary counterparts, this one was unnaturally massive, its surface etched with eerie sigils.
No wonder it stood out as the most unique red dot on the compass. Its appearance is truly one of a kind.
Though Yan Qi didn’t know why this Flesh Bloom had grown so abnormally or what its strange markings meant, she had pieced together its purpose after deducing the cultists’ intentions.
“Since these lunatic cultists value you so much, I’ll make sure you’re destroyed before they can use you against humanity.”
With that, she had Daoyan flick a wisp of azure flame at the monstrous flower. In moments, it was engulfed, shrieking in agony before crumbling to ash.
Once certain it was gone, Yan Qi pulled out the compass—a supernatural artifact taken from Wen Ning that could locate Flesh Blooms. Channeling a bit of energy into it, the compass activated, projecting a map of Ninghang City dotted with twelve red markers.
Noticing one had vanished—the most unusual one, no less—Yan Qi wasn’t surprised.
This compass really does track them. With this, any supernatural being can find Flesh Blooms that would otherwise stay hidden. Artifacts truly are something else.
Pleased, she tucked the compass away and turned her attention back to the mission.
With Daoyan’s task complete, she regrouped with Yan Yu.
“That special Flesh Bloom is dealt with. Did you get through to the Anomaly Affairs Bureau?”
“I did. They said they’ve already captured the Plague Bishop after the black barrier collapsed.”
“Good. Then let’s hurry and wipe out the remaining immature Flesh Blooms before helping the Bureau handle the ones that have already matured in the real world.”
“Mm.”
With her sister’s agreement, Yan Qi turned to Hu Yao’er, who stood beside Yan Yu, and asked through Daoyan Empress,
“You don’t have any objections to my plan, right?”
“Of course not. This time, I’ll follow your lead.”
With the performance for her sister over, Yan Qi wasted no time. The trio swiftly took off toward the nearest immature Flesh Bloom.
Over the next hour, they destroyed bloom after bloom—roughly one every five minutes. When the last Flesh Bloom within the disintegrating black barrier turned to ash, Yan Qi finally relaxed.
Alright, all the immature Flesh Blooms in Ninghang City are gone. Now, it’s time to back up the Bureau.
Daoyan Empress returned to her side, and the three of them exited the collapsing barrier, flying straight toward the real-world locations of the matured Flesh Blooms.
——
“Dammit! These abyssal beasts have blocked every path. There’s no way to get through and destroy the Flesh Bloom!”
“Don’t panic. Let’s keep looking—there’s got to be a way in. We just need to slip past unnoticed.”
“Dream on. With things like this, we’re not finding any openings.”
“Watch out—abyssal beasts incoming!”
Just as the elite Anomaly Affairs Bureau squad, frustrated by their failed attempts to break through the abyssal blockade, was on the verge of despair, a scout shouted a warning.
The team snapped to attention, spotting a monstrous abyssal beast charging toward them, its grotesque form radiating menace.