"Elder Yin, guard the entrance. This place must have restrictions; you probably can't enter."
Ling Xiao reached out and touched the golden light at the ruins' entrance, indeed sensing a terrifying wave of energy radiating from it.
As expected of a dungeon specifically opened for the Chosen One.
The restriction's threshold was the Soul-Awakening Realm.
This not only added trials for Ye Fan, tempering his resolve, but also minimized the danger.
After all, no matter how strong a Chosen One was, there were limits to defeating enemies across realms.
Otherwise, if the gap was too large, the main storyline would easily collapse later.
But a restriction of this level couldn't possibly trouble Ling Xiao.
Black light suddenly gleamed in his palm, and a small diamond-shaped stone appeared—the Realm-Breaking Talisman.
This talisman could easily tear through spatial barriers; what was a mere restriction?
Of course, Ling Xiao had another reason for leaving Elder Yin outside.
If this secret realm truly contained a treasure related to his demonic body, it must be extremely terrifying.
As a Chosen One, Ye Fan's treasure seizure might just be a thrilling but safe trial.
But Ling Xiao had to be cautious.
If there was a soul incarnation of some ancient mighty expert inside, he would inevitably have to use his demonic form to resist.
The more witnesses, the bigger the trouble.
Most villains died from overconfidence!
Ling Xiao constantly reminded himself to act with caution.
"Yes!"
Elder Yin nodded, standing quietly at the entrance, watching Ling Xiao's figure disappear.
Boom!
However!
What surprised Ling Xiao was that upon entering the secret realm, he wasn't greeted by the expected immortal paradise.
Instead, it was an extremely desolate demonic abyss.
The ground was littered with dried bones, deathly aura spread everywhere, and a faint, terrifying demonic intent rose from the abyss's depths.
"A place where a great demon fell?"
Ling Xiao frowned, feeling curious.
Could it be that Ye Fan was also following a demonic path?
Like his own path, full of pursuit, twists and turns, and desolation.
Like his lifelong quest for the Dao, lonely and persistent.
Or perhaps, this was what it meant to be a demon.
Ling Xiao shook his head with a smile, thinking of the great demon Su Ming, who also found a demonic trace, awakening his memories layer by layer, discovering the falsity of fate.
But whether Ye Fan sought demonic or immortal paths, today he would undoubtedly die.
"Almost there. Ye Fan should have reached the spot by now."
Ling Xiao sneered, a flash of killing intent in his eyes.
Today, he came not just for the opportunities within the ruins.
The Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda on Ye Fan was also somewhat attractive to him.
It could imprison demons and monsters up to the Immortal Ascension Realm, and it had imprisoned nine of them.
If he could subdue these nine demons, wouldn't that be a great asset for Ling Xiao?
Even if he couldn't subdue them, devouring them couldn't hurt, right?
Whoosh!
A sound of breaking wind echoed as Ling Xiao's figure instantly vanished from the spot.
...
Bottom of the Demonic Abyss.
Ye Fan's sword slashed out angrily, cutting a monster shrouded in black Qi in half.
Behind him, a bloody path stretched all the way to the top of the abyss. Clearly, Ye Fan had faced many hardships along the way.
"Finally here!"
Ye Fan's steps suddenly halted as he looked up at a majestic ancient hall hidden in the darkness deep within the abyss.
Most of the hall had collapsed, with broken walls scattered everywhere, exuding an air of desolation.
Moreover, a faint, terrifying evil aura permeated from deep within the hall.
"The opportunity must be inside."
Hesitation flickered across Ye Fan's face.
Logically, he had planned to wait until he reached the Soul Sea Realm before exploring these ruins.
But Ling Xiao's appearance had completely disrupted his plans.
Although he had gained many opportunities along the way and his cultivation had reached the Mid-Soul-Awakening Realm...
Facing such dangerous ruins, he still felt hesitant.
Roar!
Just then, a terrifying roar echoed around the hall.
A terrifying demonic ape dozens of meters tall emerged from the darkness.
Its bloodthirsty eyes fixed on Ye Fan, sending a chill from his feet to his head.
"Demonic Ape!"
Hum.
Mi Yong's figure instantly appeared beside Ye Fan.
Since failing to kill Ling Xiao that day, Ye Fan hadn't sealed him back in the Soul-Suppressing Tower, allowing him to follow instead.
After all, these ruins were strange; having a great demon accompany him offered some peace of mind.
Roar!
But as the demonic ape appeared, more roars came from the darkness around the hall.
Then, one terrifying monster after another revealed themselves.
"Dammit! Why so many monsters all of a sudden?"
Ye Fan gritted his teeth, glancing at the demonic ape. "Can you clear them out?"
"I can, but these monsters are corrupted by deathly aura. They won't be easy to eliminate. Be careful yourself."
A crimson glint flashed in Mi Yong's eyes.
Ye Fan frowned. This bastard was clearly slacking off.
Of course, it probably wished for his death here, so it wouldn't be sealed again.
"Hmph, Mi Yong, if I die, this ancient pagoda will be left here. It won't be easy for you to see the light of day again. Help me obtain the opportunity in these ruins, and I'll grant you freedom!"
Given the current situation, Ye Fan didn't dare fully confront the demonic ape.
He could only offer a carrot after the stick, ensuring its temporary loyalty.
Stupid monkeys loved treats, after all.
"Yes!"
Mi Yong nodded, his face expressionless. His figure flashed as he pounced toward the horde of monsters.
Not daring to hesitate further, Ye Fan gritted his teeth and followed closely behind Mi Yong, charging toward the hall's entrance.
...
Meanwhile.
Above Qingfeng City, demonic aura suddenly spread.
All Soul Sea Realm experts in the city watched the returned white-clothed female demon, their hearts filled with regret.
Dammit, why was this great demon back?
They had thought that whether Ling Xiao or the demon survived their encounter, she wouldn't return.
After all, as a Xuanqing great demon, was there any pleasure in bullying a few Soul Sea and Soul-Awakening ants?!
Bai Zhixi stood mid-air, scanning the city but sensing no trace of Ling Xiao. Disappointment flickered in her eyes.
After parting with Ling Xiao and returning to Monster God Mountain, the Eastern Wasteland great demons had told her about their previous encounter.
Bai Zhixi seemed to remember some things.
She did recall a white-clothed swordsman chasing her, but at the critical moment, she remembered a majestic figure blocking all attacks for her.
That figure radiated golden light.
She couldn't see his face clearly, but his lazy smile was etched vividly in her memory.
This scene, like a demonic obsession, was deeply imprinted in Bai Zhixi's heart.
"Was it you? Ling Xiao? But why can't I remember? Right... that girl!"
Bai Zhixi's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she suddenly remembered the green-robed girl from her first day in Qingfeng City. Her divine sense instantly spread out, quickly detecting Ye Qingchan's aura.
"This aura..."
It was clearly noon, but Qingfeng City was eerily quiet.
Ye Qingchan stood in the Ye family hall, her face suddenly pale.
"Qingchan, what's wrong? Has Young Master Ling Xiao returned?"
"No... Uncle, I sense... that Xuanqing great demon has returned."
Ye Qingchan clutched a spirit talisman in her hand, hesitating.
If she left now, the Ye family would surely be wiped out.
But if she stayed and fell into the demon girl's hands...
"What? This... this... What should we do?"
Ye Liufeng collapsed onto the floor, his face devoid of color.
The other Ye family members looked at Ye Qingchan with despair, hints of resentment in their eyes.
Hum.
Just then, the space above the hall rippled.
Bai Zhixi's figure appeared out of thin air, standing quietly before the Ye family.
"Ahhh!! Oh heavens!!"
"Spare us, Great King! We're not really close to Ling Xiao!!"
"Great King, I don't want to die!!"
Instantly, cries of sorrow filled the Ye residence. Some even fainted from fear.
Bai Zhixi slightly frowned, ignoring the pitiful displays, and fixed her gaze on Ye Qingchan.
"Has... Young Master Ling Xiao returned?"
"N... no."
Ye Qingchan was also terrified.
A Xuanqing great demon stood right before her; the feeling of having her life in someone else's hands was truly uncomfortable.
Wait, what did she call him?
Young Master Ling Xiao?!
Did she hear wrong?!
Or...
"Do you know where he went?"
Bai Zhixi's face flushed slightly, especially upon seeing Ye Qingchan's surprise. A hint of awkwardness flashed in her eyes.
"N... no..."
"Oh. When he returns, tell him... I'm returning to the Holy State. If he has time in the future... he can... come find me at the Ten Thousand Monsters Holy Land..."
Having said that, Bai Zhixi tore through space as if fleeing and vanished from the Ye family's sight.
The cries ceased abruptly.
All Ye family members stared dumbfounded at where the girl had disappeared, faces filled with astonishment.
Even Ye Qingchan was bewildered.
How had the once fierce Xuanqing great demon changed her temperament overnight?
And why did she invite the young master to find her?
Could it be...
A glimmer of realization dawned in Ye Qingchan's eyes, but she couldn't help feeling a pang of sourness.
"She... she's gone?"
"She's gone!"
"The young master's divine might!! He even conquered that Xuanqing demoness?"
"Quick... help me up. I need to kowtow and offer incense to the young master."
...
Meanwhile, Ling Xiao followed Ye Fan's path toward the abyss's depths.
He noticed many monster corpses littering the roadside.
"What a good guy! Ye Fan is truly a good guy. Knowing I was coming, he even cleared a path for me in advance."
Along the way, Ling Xiao also saw some ancient ruins standing in the abyss.
But since Ye Fan hadn't entered them, they likely held no opportunities.
A Chosen One's intuition was the most ethereal yet accurate thing in the world.
Ling Xiao trusted him completely.
Only when he reached the ancient hall did his expression turn serious.
In the darkness, the black hall resembled a giant beast, its mouth open wide, ready to devour.
The entrance's restrictions had already been broken. Clearly, Ye Fan had entered.
"De... mon's... descent..."
An ancient, vicissitudinous call echoed again in his sea of consciousness.
Ling Xiao was growing impatient.
What earth-shattering secret was hidden within this hall?
Hehe, little Ye Fan, here I come.