"I seemed to have been swallowed by the Demon Horned Dinosaur."
Ximen Ying’s complexion was somewhat ugly, but he was faking it. Ye Xuan had already warned him beforehand, telling him that he was going to explore deep into the Demon Beast Mountain Range and needed their cooperation.
"With that kid’s shrewdness, how could he possibly be swallowed by a Demon Beast?"
Zi Ying was somewhat skeptical. Could that clever guy really fall for something as stupid as this?
"Just now, that group of Demon Beasts was no ordinary threat. Even Lady Zi Ying, you might find it difficult to guarantee a safe retreat. I think a smart person like Ye Xuan wouldn’t joke about his own life," Qian Wuchen also spoke up.
"Hmph, serves him right to die. That kid thought he was invincible with the help of Spiritual Fire."
Chi Yi didn’t believe Ye Xuan could still be alive. In a sudden and unexpected situation, being swallowed by a giant Demon Horned Dinosaur, how could there be any chance of survival? Ye Xuan was as good as dead.
Although she still had not completely dispelled her concerns, Zi Ying couldn’t find Ye Xuan now, so she could only withdraw from the area and observe for a few days.
In the heart of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, a heavy Demonic Qi shrouded the air, so oppressive it made breathing difficult.
A Demon Horned Dinosaur stomped across the ground, leaving deep footprints. Then suddenly, with a "bang," the dinosaur’s belly exploded open, and a figure burst out from the blood mist.
"I almost suffocated to death."
The figure was none other than Ye Xuan, who had been stifled inside the stomach of the Demon Horned Dinosaur, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, especially with the unbearable stench.
"This should be the belly of the Demon Beast Mountain Range."
After putting on a new set of clothes from his Qiankun Ring, Ye Xuan began to take in his surroundings.
In the deepest part of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, everything was gloomily dark. Above, violent thunderclouds gathered and occasionally lightning struck from them, splitting the trees below into charred trunks.
"Ah, there seems to be a barrier over there."
Ye Xuan released his soul power to investigate and discovered a hidden barrier about ten miles ahead, where his soul power was blocked.
With a light step, Ye Xuan immediately picked up his pace and moved forward, dispersing the miasma haze. Shortly after, a stele appeared in view.
On the stele were the words "Entry Forbidden to the Demon Clan."
"How strange, this place must be a forbidden area for the Demon Clan, no wonder Zi Ying stubbornly refused to come in." Ye Xuan revealed a look of realization, but he was not from the Demon Clan, so the forbidden area had no hold on him.
On the back of the stele were engravings in the script of the Demon Clan. Had Ye Xuan not been able to understand them, this trip would have been in vain.
"To enter the barrier, I must first activate the stele."
Ye Xuan glanced at the stele and then, following the method inscribed upon it, he infused True Yuan into the stele to activate the Array within.
Humming vibrations resonated.
Not long after, the ground beneath Ye Xuan’s feet began to loosen. Once the patterns on the stele were fully activated, the ground directly collapsed under him, and a black whirlpool suddenly flashed beneath his feet, swallowing Ye Xuan whole.
After experiencing a disorienting transfer that left him feeling weightless, Ye Xuan regained his vision to find himself in a dark space, composed of underground tunnels void of daylight.
Here, the range of soul power perception did not extend beyond a hundred meters. Beyond that range, it was like a chaotic paste, imperceptible to any form of existence.
"What a bizarre place."
Ye Xuan heightened his vigilance and continued deeper into the space. Though deathly still, it emitted a foreboding aura, and Ye Xuan dared not be the slightest bit careless.
Sounds akin to running water came from behind Ye Xuan. He couldn’t help but look back and saw a giant black shadow, resembling a python, swiftly slithering towards his position. The shadow’s eyes were like two large bells, locking onto Ye Xuan.
Startled by the sight of the massive dark creature, Ye Xuan’s expression changed. Soul Leeches, an Ancient Demon Beast that could parasitize and consume soul power, were a grave danger to all races. Once touched by a Soul Leech, escaping its grasp was nearly impossible.
"With Soul Leeches appearing, what exactly is inside this forbidden area?"
Ye Xuan’s heart trembled with shock. Along the way, his curiosity had grown stronger. What exactly was hidden here, or what secret did it hold?
The Soul Leech opened its mouth and inhaled, and suddenly, soul whirlpools appeared in mid-air. These whirlpools emitted a frenzied suction force specifically targeting soul power; any living creature touching the whirlpools would have their soul sucked out.
Relying on his sharp senses, Ye Xuan dodged these soul whirlpools. Luckily, the Soul Leech’s speed couldn’t match his, and while it persistently pursued him, it couldn’t catch up for the time being.
As he progressed, Ye Xuan sensed a new power calling to him in the midst of obscurity. He could now pinpoint the direction of this new force.
"What could it possibly be?"
Mysteries persisted in Ye Xuan’s mind, yet as he ventured further, the mysteries only magnified. At the same time, the Demonic Qi that had pervaded the surrounding space was slowly dissipating until it completely vanished, replaced by a very familiar aura.
This aura was the long-missed nature’s spiritual energy, a pure essence from the Spirit Martial Continent. It had been a long time since Ye Xuan had felt this essence within the Evil Domain.
Just as Ye Xuan was beginning to feel incredulous, suddenly, beast-like roars erupted from the area behind him. A surge of Miasma spread out, transforming into thick tendrils that blanketed the sky, enveloping Ye Xuan from all sides.
Feeling the terrifying fluctuations behind him, Ye Xuan’s face changed once again. He could sense the terrifying power within each tendril, and any one of them could consume his soul in the blink of an eye.
In a desperate situation, Ye Xuan’s only choice was to sprint in the opposite direction. His dragon wings beat furiously behind him, skillfully dodging each treacherous attack, until an open space appeared ahead of him, surrounded by dead ends. At the very center of the clearing was an altar.
At the very top of the altar stood a rust-covered scepter, seemingly unremarkable.
However, at this moment, a strong desire to remove it surged through Ye Xuan’s mind.