Lin Zheyu casually killed a demon puppet and continued rushing toward the edge of the mountain forest. The excitement that surged within him was almost impossible to suppress. He did not know what level of strength the young man from the Directorate of Celestial Observation held among immortal cultivators, but it was likely quite formidable. Killing an immortal cultivator just now had greatly encouraged him.

So what if they're immortal cultivators? If they're human, they can be killed. It's just that they're harder to kill.

If not for the fear that complications might arise the longer he delayed, Lin Zheyu would have captured the man alive and interrogated him thoroughly. Unfortunately, the risk had been too great.

After leaving the demon god barrier, Lin Zheyu originally planned to return directly to Wuling City, but he gave up on the idea after some thought. He needed to hide nearby for a while and pretend that he had encountered disaster, leaving him with no choice but to break through to the Force Transformation realm.

***

With a rustle, a gentle breeze swept through the area. After the demon god barrier appeared, the concentration of Baleful Yin force in the mountain forest quickly dropped. Outside the barrier, the number of demon puppets also decreased more and more. The demon god barrier sealed the Baleful Yin force within and transformed the area into demon-tainted soil.

Within the barrier, immortal cultivators who relied on spiritual qi would have their strength greatly suppressed. Creatures like demon puppets, which relied on Baleful Yin force and possessed no intelligence, would not leave the demon god barrier if no one controlled them. Lin Zheyu followed along the edge of the demon god barrier and rushed deeper into the mountains.

What exactly is this mysterious curtain of light? A formation? Or a barrier? This thing must have been created using demon god seeds, right? Lin Zheyu pondered.

As he continued forward and pushed his Perception Domain to the limit, Lin Zheyu discovered many interesting things. Demon god seeds were extremely mysterious and could not be detected through the Perception Domain alone. However, he also possessed the God Devouring Insect. This special creature was extremely sensitive to the aura of demon god seeds.

With the help of the God Devouring Insect, Lin Zheyu discovered that along the edge of the demon god barrier, the number of demon god seeds was unbelievably large. These seeds were arranged according to a unique pattern and constantly emitted mysterious energy fluctuations. The deeper he went, the more terrifying the pressure he felt.

He raised his head. The sky above was pitch black, without even the faintest trace of light. In the forest, one could not even see their own fingers. Without the Perception Domain, Lin Zheyu would struggle to move in such an environment.

"This place will do. It seems to get more dangerous ahead." After traveling more than three hundred kilometers, Lin Zheyu finally stopped. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The demon god barrier covered a terrifyingly vast area. Even after advancing more than three hundred kilometers, he still could not see its end. All he could sense was that the energy contained within the barrier grew increasingly terrifying. The overwhelming pressure made even his heart tremble.

Suddenly, a blade flash swept past. A demon puppet lunging at Lin Zheyu had its head roll forward on the ground, and its roar stopped abruptly.

This place was already not far from the space-time node. Even with the demon god barrier present, the concentration of Baleful Yin force outside remained frighteningly high. Lin Zheyu searched the area and hid in a concealed spot.

"Ink Jade Disks... Is there any way to block one?" Lin Zheyu frowned.

Several times when he encountered danger, the enemy had located him through an Ink Jade Disk. Even when he changed his appearance, they could still find him. After learning the principle behind Ink Jade Disks last time, he began paying closer attention to this issue.

I wonder if true origin can remove the aura attached to objects... If the problem of the Ink Jade Disk cannot be solved, then even if I change my appearance and hide, those people will still find me. Strange. How exactly did I provoke them? Could it be that they discovered the secret on my body?

A strong sense of crisis rose in Lin Zheyu's heart.

The methods of immortal cultivators and those evil cultists were far too mysterious and unpredictable. If they possessed some means to detect that his strength had grown too quickly, it would not be impossible.

No, that's not right. Among the people from the Directorate of Celestial Observation, another man was leading them. That man should be the strongest among them. Even he found nothing unusual about me. The one I killed was weaker and should have been even less likely to notice. But if he had not discovered my secret, he would have had no reason to target me... And it wasn't just him. There were also those people from the Yao Heavenly Palace...

Lin Zheyu pondered silently as a powerful desire for strength surged in his heart.

A common man was innocent, yet he became guilty for possessing treasure. But if one's strength was powerful enough, there was no need to fear the coveting of others.

Huff, huff.

Time slowly passed. Lin Zheyu circulated the Tortoise Breath True Technique and the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art to nourish his mind and spirit. Among all the techniques he cultivated, these two were the most effective for restoring the spirit and spiritual soul.

No one knew how much time had passed when a terrifying fluctuation of energy suddenly erupted between heaven and earth[1]. Lin Zheyu abruptly opened his eyes and looked toward the direction from which the ripples of energy spread. Endless darkness blanketed the entire forest, and he could not see anything beyond his Perception Domain. All he could sense was a terrifying and evil aura expanding rapidly, as if something from hell itself had emerged.

When he sensed that aura, violent and malicious thoughts could not help but arise in his mind. He reacted quickly and circulated his true intent to dispel those dark impulses.

"What a terrifying aura. Has the space-time node been completely opened? Have terrifying yaos and demons appeared?" Lin Zheyu murmured softly, filled with shock.

Lin Zheyu did not dare remain here for long. He quickly rose and rushed away from the direction of the demon god barrier. Originally, he had planned to hide outside the barrier and see if he could uncover more secrets of the cultivation world and the yaos and demons. Now he threw that idea completely out of his mind.

Lin Zheyu sprinted with all his strength, fleeing the area covered by the demon god barrier. He gasped for breath and looked up at the moon in the sky. A long-forgotten sense of safety rose in his heart. Here, the ever-present terrifying pressure and evil aura were gone. The suffocating oppression that made it hard to breathe had disappeared.

It is still too early to get involved with my current strength...

That young man from the Directorate of Celestial Observation had wanted to capture him, yet he still refused to enter the demon god barrier and chose to wait outside instead. That alone showed how dangerous it was inside. It was far beyond what Lin Zheyu's current strength could handle.

"Dawn is almost here. My spirit has mostly recovered, but unfortunately, I do not have enough energy to continue improving." Lin Zheyu shook his head slightly.

A gentle glow appeared on the horizon as the sky began to brighten faintly. Lin Zheyu looked toward the demon god barrier. It remained pitch black, as though no daylight could penetrate it, and he could not see what was happening inside.

I need to find a way to obtain more spirit stones...

The spirit liquid used by martial artists for cultivation was normally obtained through the Directorate of Celestial Observation. Aside from that channel, Lin Zheyu had heard that some people secretly sold spirit liquid on the black market. However, the quality was poor and the price extremely high. Even so, after visiting the black market many times, he had never encountered anyone selling it.

The true origin he condensed far surpassed the true strength of ordinary martial artists in both energy density and essence, which meant his demand for spirit liquid was far greater. The Blazing Flame Blood-Burning Powder could no longer meet his needs.

If I do not go through the Directorate of Celestial Observation or the official channels of Great Wei, what other ways are there to obtain spirit liquid? Those yao martial artists from the Yao Heavenly Palace use spirit stones. Where do their spirit stones come from? Lin Zheyu pondered.

Lin Zheyu felt that the people from the Yao Heavenly Palace might serve as a breakthrough. Besides them, the Martial Alliance could also be a possible lead. He had once asked Elder Yang about the Martial Alliance. From Elder Yang, he learned quite a few things.

For instance, unlike most sects and esteemed families that were attached to Great Wei, the Martial Alliance was independent, or rather, affiliated with other forces. Martial artists within the Martial Alliance who advanced to the Force Transformation realm did not need to register with the Directorate of Celestial Observation, nor did they need to obtain spirit liquid through Great Wei's official channels. They had their own supply routes.

During this operation, quite a few people from the Yao Heavenly Palace were present. If I search nearby, I might be able to seize some spirit stones. As long as I do not get too close, the danger should not be too great.

Lin Zheyu's figure moved, and he disappeared from the spot once again.

1. Referring to between the sky and land. ☜