Chapter 128: None of Them Are Human (Part One)

Swoosh!

Just as Yang Dong and the others channeled their Yin-Yang Taoist arts and stepped onto the altar, I trembled slightly. At that very moment, I saw Yang Dong strike out with a single palm, splitting open a fissure. Instantly, a brilliant beam of light burst forth from the opening.

"Let's go, we're going up!"

Yang Dong glanced at the companions standing beside him, exchanging cautious looks. Having worked together for a long time, they naturally knew they had encountered a miraculous world once again. Moreover, they were aware that within this realm existed a mystical power capable of bridging Yin and Yang. At this exact moment, that power had completely captivated their minds.

As the beam of light shone directly down from the space Yang Dong had cleaved open, the entire domain suddenly quivered violently. Countless spatial dimensions began to shake intensely. At that very moment, I saw the skeletal remains that had previously been mere piles of white bones begin to roar madly, leaping one by one from the altar toward the luminous source.

"Move, quickly!"

With a loud roar, Yang Dong grabbed a sturdy projection overhead, leveraged his strength, and instantly propelled his entire body upward.

The others followed closely behind. Just as they leaped out into the sunlit realm, a girl's shrill scream suddenly echoed. When Yang Dong and his companions steadied themselves and looked around, they realized to their astonishment that they had just climbed out of a grave. Anyone witnessing such a sight would feel profound shock—not just shock, but an overwhelming sense of dread.

At that moment, the surrounding light was gentle, yet to those who had spent many years in Huamei Village, it felt glaringly harsh and almost unbearable. They stood in the shadows for a long while before their senses gradually returned.

By the time Yang Dong rushed out in pursuit, the little girl had already vanished into the distance, running off in fright.

Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss...

The moment Yang Dong stepped forward in pursuit, he distinctly felt a sound like melting Yin energy coming from his own body. The continuous buzzing made him shiver uncontrollably. I could clearly see Yang Dong's body shudder violently, taking quite a while to calm down. He then peeled off his outer garment, and the others similarly stripped off their Taoist robes.

After all, the clothes they wore had lingered for far too long in the Yin-laden atmosphere of Huamei Village and the tomb they had just left. Yet the realm they had now entered was filled with extreme Yang energy. Far from worrying them, this thrilled them beyond measure. At the very least, such a vibrant abundance of Yang energy might offer a way back to the reality they knew, or perhaps reveal other secrets hidden within this space. Deep in Yang Dong's heart, he believed that here, he would surely find the power to bridge Yin and Yang, allowing him to reverse the cosmic balance and completely alter his destiny. At the same time, deep within his soul, his faith remained anchored in Xiyue.

"Master Yang, look over there..."

One of the Yin-Yang masters pointed toward a wisp of curling smoke in the distance.

Upon seeing the smoke, the group immediately beamed with joy, and Yang Dong took the lead, stepping out ahead of the others.

After walking a short distance, Yang Dong spotted the little girl standing atop a gentle hill and quickened his pace. The others instantly recognized her as the same child who had been startled by their sudden appearance earlier.

As the little girl turned and saw them approaching, she made to run away again. But this time, Yang Dong gave her no chance. With a flash of movement and a few swift leaps, he caught up to her and blocked her path.

"What—what are you people trying to do?"

The little girl appeared utterly terrified. Seeing this, I couldn't help feeling a sense of confusion, because everything within my field of vision was shrouded in a hazy blur—there was nothing there at all. Such a phenomenon had never occurred before.

"We aren't trying to do anything. We just want to know what place this is."

"Shadowless Village!" the little girl stammered, her eyes darting nervously as if she dared not look at these men.

"Little girl, we're good people, we won't hurt you. We just want to know what kind of place this Shadowless Village is, and why it's called that?"

Daoist Mashan asked gently from the side. His voice was soft, but unfortunately, he possessed an exceptionally ugly face adorned with a mouthful of large, yellow teeth. The sight terrified the little girl, causing her to scramble backward and hide behind Yang Dong.

"Haha, Mashan, look, you've frightened the poor child. Let me ask instead!"

The others chuckled lightly. This simple, lighthearted exchange eased the tension, lifting the heavy anxiety and apprehension that had weighed upon them.

"Little girl, can you tell us why this place is called Shadowless Village?"

The little child raised her head and stared blankly at Yang Dong, her eyes filled with curiosity. It seemed that Yang Dong's hearty laugh and lighthearted remark had finally set her mind somewhat at ease.

Instead of answering in words, the little girl simply pointed down toward their feet.

Perplexed, Yang Dong and his companions looked down at the ground. If they hadn't looked, it would have been one thing, but at that single glance, they were struck dumb with astonishment. Right before their eyes, cast upon the ground beneath them, there were no shadows whatsoever. Considering it was mid-afternoon with the blazing sun high in the sky, logic dictated that shadows should be present.

After all, only ghosts cast no shadows.

When Yang Dong looked back at the little girl, he realized to his shock that she had no shadow either.

"This..."

Faced with this anomaly, Yang Dong struggled for an explanation. He knew with absolute certainty that he was a living, breathing human being, and a trained Yin-Yang master at that. Yet, confronted with this baffling phenomenon, he was completely at a loss. Why was this happening? There had been nothing particularly bizarre along their journey until now—climbing out of that tomb, meeting this little girl, and learning the name of this place.

Shadowless Village...

At that exact moment, the little girl asked tremblingly, "How did you crawl out of the Nameless Tomb? At first... at first I thought you were Sister Wan Niang?"

Hearing those words, my heart violently skipped a beat, for the name uttered by the little girl was Wan Niang.

Could it be...

For a fleeting second, I dared not let my thoughts delve any deeper!