Almost Like a Stick Figure

By this time,

eight plain-clothed individuals finally arrived at the scene.

Looking at the dissipated demonic aura and the still-celebrating crowd, they exchanged bewildered glances.

"It seems... we really are late!"

One of them spoke up.

"Uh, it seems so,"

another man replied, scratching his forehead in a daze.

They had never believed that anyone in the current Immortal Realm could handle the overwhelming demonic shadow, so they had prepared themselves for a fierce battle on their way here.

But before they even arrived, they discovered that the demonic shadow had already been eradicated, leaving them with nothing to do.

"Why are you all looking like that? This is a good thing!"

The leader of the group was the first to react, saying, "Without us having to lift a finger, such a great calamity has been resolved. There's nothing better than this."

"Moreover, those five over there must be the experts who dealt with the demonic shadow. But none of us recognize them, which means we've just discovered five hidden masters. This is truly a double blessing!"

The leader's gaze locked onto Lu Benwei and his companions.

He could easily discern the strength and background of everyone present, but when it came to Lu Benwei and his group, they appeared as if shrouded in mist.

Thus, it was easy to conclude that the demonic shadow had been taken down by these five.

"Indeed!"

The others also came to their senses.

It wasn't that they weren't excited; it was just that the situation was too overwhelming.

"And the fact that these five together were able to handle a demonic shadow that even the eight of us might not have been able to defeat suggests that their combat power might surpass any one of us individually. If such experts could join us in guarding the Boundary Wall, it would greatly alleviate the pressure."

At this point, the leader's face lit up with excitement. "Let's go greet them!"

At that moment, Lu Benwei and his companions were still gathered around the surviving young woman.

The young woman stared at Lu Benwei and his group with wide eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

Especially Lu Benwei, who had just displayed god-like power before her very eyes.

And now, such a figure was coming to strike up a conversation with her?

Overwhelmed, the young woman fainted on the spot.

"We pay our respects to the five immortal friends."

Just as Lu Benwei and his group were feeling frustrated, the eight plain-clothed individuals descended and greeted them with cupped fists.

"What do you want?"

Lu Benwei tilted his head to look at them.

"Ah, forgive us for being so forward," the leader, Chen Ming, said with a smile. "Allow us to introduce ourselves first. I am Chen Ming, and these are Fang Qi, Yun Lan..."

Chen Ming introduced each of them politely.

"Oh, what's the matter?"

Lu Benwei glanced at them and asked.

"Not exactly a matter, but we came to express our gratitude to the five of you for defeating the demon and saving the Immortal Realm from disaster." Chen Ming lowered his head and continued, "To be honest, it's rather embarrassing. The eight of us came here to deal with the demon, but we were too late and didn't contribute at all."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just squashing a bug,"

Lu Benwei replied absentmindedly, still looking down at the fainted young woman.

Chen Ming and the others chuckled awkwardly.

They tried to continue the conversation with Lu Benwei, but his attention remained firmly on the young woman, leaving Chen Ming and his group feeling helpless.

It seemed these five had little interest in engaging with them.

Originally, they had hoped to build some rapport before broaching the main topic, but now it seemed better to get straight to the point.

After a moment of thought, Chen Ming spoke again.

"Do any of you know the origins of this demonic shadow?"

No one responded.

"Given your strength, are you aware of the Outer Circle and the Boundary Wall?"

Still, no one paid him any attention.

Chen Ming's face darkened slightly.

However, he decided not to beat around the bush any longer and spoke directly.

"These matters are indeed known only to a select few, so it's understandable if you're unaware."

He then began to explain patiently.

"The vast world is not limited to just our Immortal Realm. Beyond our realm, there are countless other planes of existence. For instance, there are eight realms that are attached to the Immortal Realm yet operate independently."

"These include the White Realm, the Array Realm, the Forest Realm, the Desolate Realm, the Martial Realm, and so on."

"The origins of these eight realms trace back to the early days of the Immortal Realm, when the Eight Supreme Beings who founded the Immortal Realm also created these realms."

"Though these eight realms are attached to the Immortal Realm, they are actually more advanced, as they inherited the full legacy and civilization of the Eight Supreme Beings."

"Of course, discussing the eight realms is a bit off-topic."

Chen Ming chuckled awkwardly before continuing.

"Beyond these realms, there are countless other planes adjacent to us, which we collectively refer to as the Outer Circle."

"In the early days of the Immortal Realm, the Outer Circle frequently waged war against us. To protect the Immortal Realm, the Eight Supreme Beings mobilized immense resources to construct the Boundary Wall around our realm."

"This Boundary Wall can withstand any attack from the Outer Circle, ensuring the eternal safety of the Immortal Realm."

"However, 100,000 years ago, a great catastrophe occurred in the Outer Circle."

"Legend has it that a corrupted divine arm fell into one of the planes, and from that day forward, the entire plane was tainted. Black mist spread, blotting out the sky, and all living beings turned into mindless zombies."

"Over time, the corruption spread, and the surrounding planes of the Immortal Realm fell one by one."

"Thanks to the protection of the Boundary Wall, the Immortal Realm and the eight realms were spared."

"But we severely underestimated the horror of this corruption. Perhaps due to the Boundary Wall's age, its power weakened over time. As the Outer Circle's corruption continued to erode, a crack appeared in the Boundary Wall 30,000 years ago, allowing the black mist to seep into the Immortal Realm."

"Fortunately, the experts of the Immortal Realm and the eight realms joined forces and, at the cost of half their lives, managed to cleanse the black mist that had entered. However, the crack in the Boundary Wall could not be repaired."

"Since that day, countless true immortals from the Immortal Realm and the eight realms have been rushing to the site to reinforce the Boundary Wall and prevent further corruption from entering."

"But repairing the Boundary Wall is no easy task. Despite the efforts of so many experts, they have only managed to barely stem the flow of the black mist. The demonic shadow you just defeated was formed from the black mist that leaked in during a recent tremor in the Boundary Wall."

"Moreover, due to the constant exposure to such an environment, many of the experts guarding the Boundary Wall have been corrupted by the demonic aura, losing their lives in the process."

At this point, Chen Ming's eyes reddened.

The other seven experts behind him also lowered their heads.

"To be frank, we are severely short-handed at the Boundary Wall. We need all capable experts from the Immortal Realm and the eight realms to come and reinforce it."

"This concerns the fate of the Immortal Realm and billions of lives. If the black mist spreads into the Immortal Realm, it will be... the end... of everything!"

After saying this, Chen Ming looked solemnly at Lu Benwei and his companions.

"Given your strength and your willingness to act for the greater good, we sincerely implore you to join us in guarding the Boundary Wall. For the sake of the Immortal Realm and all living beings, please lend us your aid!"

Chen Ming clasped his hands together, his voice filled with sincerity.

The other seven behind him also looked at Lu Benwei and his group with earnest expressions.

"Oh, we'll see when the time comes."

"It's not a big deal."

Lu Benwei glanced at them and replied nonchalantly before turning his attention back to the fainted young woman. "Qing, do you think she's faking it?"

"Probably not. She must have been overwhelmed by your peerless charm, big bro,"

the dog-like companion said obsequiously.

"Ah, my love life is doomed again,"

Lu Benwei sighed dramatically.

Seeing that Lu Benwei and his companions were completely ignoring them, Chen Ming and the other seven could only look on with disappointment.