Master of the Demon Emperor

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"Ninth Grade Exorcism Artifact, don't miss out as you pass by! Miss it now, and there won't be a chance to regret it!"

"The First Guardian Squad of the Immortal Forbidden Zone, join us and ensure your safety!"

"Ancient Formation Map of the Immortal Forbidden Zone, first come first served!"

"Who wants the Divine Skills of an Ancient Great Emperor? Genuine goods at fair prices!"

"Guidance Divine Beast, ignores restrictions and misguidance, a rare treasure in this world!"

After entering Xiaoshi Village, Su Yie and the other three were greeted by various cries of vendors, as Su Yie put the Ant Queen into the Blood Gourd.

Many Demon Beasts and Spirit Beasts, all mounts, crawled around the edge of Stone Village, most of which were races Su Yie had never seen before.

Qing Jushi began to wander around while Su Yie, with Nan Xiaopao, also strolled through the market. Li Huahun showed no interest and waited quietly at the edge of the village.

Although the cries at the small market were exaggerated, the goods for sale were actually not bad.

As he walked, Su Yie listened to the conversations around him to learn about the situation in the Immortal Forbidden Zone.

It was said that last month a Celestial Shadow appeared in the Immortal Forbidden Zone, tearing apart even a Mahayana Wandering Immortal, causing a sensation in all directions.

There were also rumors of an emergence of one of the Ancient Wilderness Seven Killers in the Immortal Forbidden Zone. As for how this rumor spread, it was already indeterminable.

At the same time, Su Yie got some unsettling news— the Holy Pool had recently taken a great interest in the Immortal Forbidden Zone, actively moving around its outer rings.

"Su Yie, when do we go in?"

Nan Xiaopao asked. She wasn't interested in the street stalls around but was filled with anticipation for the Immortal Forbidden Zone, certain that this adventure would be thrilling.

Su Yie answered softly, "We'll decide after Qing Jushi finishes inquiring."

Since arriving here, his sense of unease had resurfaced and was intensifying.

Nan Xiaopao nodded, and the two continued to meander.

Approximately half an incense stick's time passed.

"Aaahhhhh—"

A shrill scream erupted from the outskirts of Stone Village, startling many creatures who turned to direct their Divine Sense or gaze towards the source of the sound.

At the end of the desert, a gaunt man was seen desperately running toward the village. He would fall every few steps, then scramble up in a panic. At first glance, he looked like a dried-up corpse, utterly pale, a sight in the desert that was eerily unnerving.

As he ran, he let out pitiful cries, the sound piercingly sharp as if he had been tormented in Hell, suffering to the extreme.

This sight chilled many creatures to the bone.

"Isn't that the Mahayana Wandering Immortal from the Wang family?"

"How come he's like a Mortal Spirit, his cultivation completely dispersed?"

"How powerful was he three days ago? How did he end up like this?"

"Do you know him?"

"Could he be cursed?"

The creatures buzzed with speculation, quickly spreading the history of the man.

The Wang family was one of the ancient families from the Ancient Wilderness with tremendous heritage. This person was a Mahayana Wandering Immortal from the Wang family, comparable to Venerable Xuanyuan.

Su Yie also fixed his gaze on the man, the unease in his heart surging once more, stronger than before, as if a great disaster was imminent.

The emaciated man ran desperately towards Stone Village, his tragic cries of despair scaring the creatures so much that they dared not approach him.

Before reaching the village, the gaunt man suddenly stiffened as if struck by lightning, and froze in his tracks.

Then, the gaunt man fell rigidly to the ground, his breath ceasing.

Death!

He died with his eyes open, with bulging eyeballs staring up at the sky dome, as if he had seen something utterly horrifying.

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The beings shivered in fear.

Even Li Huahun couldn't help but frown, obviously he too had not seen clearly what exactly had happened.

"Su Yie, could there really be demons in the Immortal Forbidden Zone?"

Nan Xiaopao asked, tightly holding onto Su Yie's right hand.

The emaciated man had died too miserably, making anyone who saw it feel queasy at heart.

Su Yie comforted her, "Don't be afraid, even if there are demons, they would only be afraid of us."

That being said, his own unease grew stronger, rendering his words less convincing.

At that moment, Qing Jushi came over with a solemn expression and said to Su Yie, "It seems we have come at an inopportune time. The Immortal Forbidden Zone is currently at its most dangerous. I have just inquired that in the past month, four Mahayana Wandering Immortals have fallen and more than twenty beings of the Immortal Destiny Realm have vanished without a trace."

Astral Projection Realm, Realm of Taoist Fruition, Spiritual Void Realm, Heavenly Void Realm, Immortal Destiny Realm, Realm of the Mahayana Wandering Immortal!

To reach the Immortal Destiny Realm is to become an Immortal Being of the Land, a being who lives carefree in the Human Realm, and yet, in just one month, more than twenty Immortal Beings of the Land had perished!

Su Yie narrowed his eyes and asked, "Aren't you capable of foreseeing? Can you predict what we will encounter next?"

"We can succeed, but along the way, we will face many hardships, hardships beyond our imagination, which I cannot foresee for now."

Qing Jushi shook his head and instinctively turned to look at Li Huahun outside of Stone Village, his eyes flashing with a trace of peculiarity.

Su Yie noticed his gaze but said nothing.

After the death of the Mahayana Wandering Immortal, Stone Village fell into a brief panic, but those who dared to come here were prepared mentally. It wasn't long before more beings continued on their way to the Immortal Forbidden Zone, leaving the corpse of the Mahayana Wandering Immortal to lie in the desert, gradually becoming obscured by the blowing sand and dust.

About half an hour later.

Su Yie and the three others set off toward the perilous Immortal Forbidden Zone.

Five hours after they had left, someone arrived at the village.

It was none other than Haotian Wuxiang!

At this moment, Haotian Wuxiang, dressed in a purple-gold imperial robe and wearing the Heavenly Dragon Gold Crown, looked majestic and immediately drew many gazes.

"Nie Sanqiu, don't blame me for not cherishing our past, this life has presented me with unprecedented obstacles, and I need to borrow your strength," Haotian Wuxiang muttered to himself before walking into Stone Village. His arrival drew many eyes, but no panic ensued, for no one recognized him as Haotian Wuxiang.

...

As night fell, Su Yie and the others camped in the desert. Su Yie released the Ant Queen and dozens of juvenile Bloodthirsty Golden Flame Ants. The Ant Queen could serve as a combatant, and the small, juvenile Bloodthirsty Golden Flame Ants could act as scouts.

The Bloodthirsty Golden Flame Ants could burrow underground and also inspect the conditions beneath.

The campfire burned, Su Yie and Nan Xiaopao sat crossed-legged, silently cultivating, while Li Huahun sat atop a sand dune, staring at the sky dome, lost in thought.

Qing Jushi roamed around, looking sneaky and up to something.

"Gurgle gurgle gurgle—"

At that moment, a strange cry echoed under the night sky, immensely eerie.

The Ant Queen behind Su Yie raised her head, as if sniffing something.

The desert under the night sky was desolate, as if darkness was devouring everything, with very low visibility, where an ordinary person would easily get lost.

Suddenly, Li Huahun stood up and rushed off in a certain direction.

Qing Jushi did the same, and both quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Su Yie opened his eyes, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. Why had Li Huahun and Qing Jushi run off without a word?

Could it be that they had spotted an enemy?

Qing Jushi, who was so timid, dared to chase after an enemy?

Nan Xiaopao also opened her eyes and asked softly, "Why do I feel that something isn't right?"

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