Chapter 206 : The Final Night

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this moment, Long Tao was both excited and speechless. It was naturally like rain after a long drought for the System to lend him a hand at a time like this. But looking at it from another perspective, the situation had already become so dire that even this cold-blooded System had been forced to intervene. The danger lurking behind the scenes was probably even greater than they had previously anticipated.

Then ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there was the child in Mingzhu's womb. Although it was his own flesh and blood, even he couldn't help feeling afraid.

Old ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Weaver of Destiny, an Ancient Great Being.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if one knew absolutely nothing about that title or name, merely hearing it was enough to tell that he was most likely a terrifying Ancient Great Being associated with the Great Dao of Fate.

An ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍existence like that, even if only in a remnant state, shouldn't stoop to snatching babies in broad daylight like some low-class human trafficker, should he?

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this child possessed something special.

Could it be...

...that he intended to seize the child's body and use it for his own resurrection?

No!

Long Tao quickly dismissed that thought.

After thinking it through carefully, since this bizarre village was a Heavenly Court Fragment, it had undoubtedly existed for over ten thousand years. During that time, there must have been many people who had accidentally wandered into this place and conceived children as husband and wife.

So if Old Weaver of Destiny had truly wanted to possess an infant and resurrect himself, he would have done so long ago. There was no need for him to deliberately wait until now.

But another possibility made even Long Tao shudder.

That was...

...over all these years, every child born in this place had been taken away by him and used in some unknown plan.

His and Mingzhu's child wasn't special at all.

It had merely been regarded by Old Weaver of Destiny as something already in his possession.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, an overwhelming rage surged within him.

Damn it...

This was the first child he had ever had across two lifetimes, and now some human trafficker had set his sights on it?

Just because that human trafficker happened to be an Ancient Great Being didn't mean Long Tao had no temper.

Although, with his current strength, even if he flew into a rage, all he could really do was stay angry for a moment.

Still...

Thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west bank—never underestimate...

...Alright.

Given his talent and Destiny Luck, thirty years probably wouldn't be enough.

For now, he had better keep his feet on the ground and focus on escaping first.

After finishing all the work, Long Tao hurried back to the village to check on Mingzhu. She seemed to be fine and was leaning against the banyan tree chatting with Du Yiluo.

"Hm? Long Tao? What are you doing here? Have you finished setting up all the nodal pathways?"

Du Yiluo's physique was now completely different from before.

Her entire body had become almost a full size larger. Originally the same height as Long Tao, she now stood half a head taller than him. A faint crimson radiance shimmered around her body, yet her well-balanced figure and proportions remained unchanged.

By the standards of his previous life, she looked like a fitness beauty standing over 1.9 meters tall.

"Yeah, it's all finished. But... just now I suddenly felt uneasy, like... someone was about to snatch the baby away. So I hurried back to check."

The two women looked at Long Tao in surprise.

Neither knew whether his intuition had truly sensed something or whether he was simply panicking because of the current situation. Nevertheless, Mingzhu still didn't want him worrying too much at a time like this. Forcing a smile onto her face, she said,

"It's alright. Don't worry. Right now, the most important thing is completing the formation. Don't think about anything else."

Looking at Mingzhu's obviously poor complexion, along with the equally forced smile on Du Yiluo's face, Long Tao knew...

The System hadn't lied just now.

That Great Being known as Old Weaver of Destiny had truly made his move.

Just as Long Tao was about to say something else, Shi Wenyuan came sprinting over from the other side of the village and shouted,

"Everyone! We've calculated the location of the final node! It's at the town entrance—the Courier Station where Sister Du collects the letters every day."

"That place?"

Du Yiluo immediately understood.

"The Courier Station is located on a patch of open ground beside the town entrance. The first time I went there to collect the letters, I already found it strange. It wasn't far from the road, yet it was deliberately built just a few steps away. Looking back now... it turns out it was meant to sever the formation's connections."

Du Yiluo stretched her body, her joints producing a series of crisp cracking sounds.

She was clearly itching for a real fight.

"I can handle that place by myself. You all stay here."

Seeing how unconcerned Du Yiluo appeared, Long Tao instinctively looked up at the sun, intending to remind her to keep an eye on the time.

But the moment he raised his head...

...he froze.

The sun's movement...

...had actually returned to normal.

The others noticed Long Tao's reaction and also looked up.

Sure enough.

The sun, which had been racing across the sky over the past several days, had now returned to its normal speed, hanging steadily overhead.

"Something's wrong!"

Shi Wenyuan immediately voiced what everyone was thinking.

But Du Yiluo anxiously said,

"There's nothing we can do about that now. Just wait here. I'll come back as soon as I'm done."

...

Before long, Xin Wushe and the others also rushed to the crossroads because of the sun's sudden "return to normal."

Everyone discussed it for quite some time, yet no one could reach a definite conclusion.

After remaining conflicted for quite a while, the travel-worn Du Yiluo finally hurried back from the east.

Her expression looked even worse than when she had left.

The moment she approached, she urgently shouted,

"Drifters! So many Drifters! There are so many of them wandering around outside! There were never this many before!"

"Drifters?"

Just as everyone was puzzled by this sudden change, the three Golden Core Realm cultivators suddenly felt their bodies—which had only just begun to recover somewhat—being suppressed once again.

"What's going on? Has the formation been damaged? Yiluo... did you finish your side?"

Du Yiluo also sensed that something was terribly wrong and hurriedly replied,

"I definitely finished it! Wait... that's right! The moment I dealt with the final node, the formation should've been completed! So why hasn't anything happened? Instead, its effects have become even weaker?"

"It's the Drifters!"

Long Tao immediately voiced his conclusion.

"Those Drifters have destroyed the formation's pathways again!"

"But..." Shi Wenyuan still couldn't understand. "Why use the Drifters? Once night falls, couldn't those villagers destroy it just the same? There are several nodes inside the village anyway."

"It's different."

Long Tao shook his head.

"Think about the nodes inside the village—the well, the ancestral hall, and the Courier Station by the town."

"Don't forget, one of this village's rules is that it's a place where people obey the rules and the law. The villagers constantly emphasize that point."

"So they would never take the initiative to destroy those places, because doing so would clearly be against the law."

"So..."

"The mastermind released so many Drifters..."

"...specifically to have them destroy the formation's nodes and pathways outside the village?"

Everyone immediately understood.

Their expressions became even grimmer.

Du Yiluo continued,

"Then... why suddenly restore daytime to its normal length? What's the point of doing that?"

Long Tao glanced around and realized that everyone had gathered here.

A rather terrifying thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Before this, because daytime was so short, we always returned to our houses long before nightfall."

"But now..."

His voice trembled involuntarily.

"All of us have gathered here because of this 'normal' sun."

"Could it be..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of doors opening echoed all around them.

Everyone turned to look.

To their astonishment, nearly every door visible in the village swung open almost simultaneously.

Inside each doorway...

...every villager clung tightly to the entrance, staring fixedly at them with horrifying eyes.

An eerie smile hung on every one of their faces.

At the same time, the sun, which had only just returned to normal not long ago, suddenly accelerated once again.

The sky visibly darkened before their eyes.