Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 722 - 706: Demons Descend Upon the Mortal World

After more than a dozen backup Puppet Flying Eagles were released towards the altar, a relatively clear and comprehensive image finally appeared on the corresponding Jade Mirrors.

Zhouyang focused a portion of his mind on those Jade Mirrors, and the images instantly imprinted themselves in his heart.

It was seen that the altar was established on a relatively flat ground at the bottom of the Demon Abyss, with an overall octagonal shape, tens of feet wide, and more than ten feet high.

What was enshrined on the altar was a black giant beast that looked like a fierce tiger but had a boar-like head, eagle wings on its sides, and hooves like those of an ox.

The black giant beast lay motionless on the altar. Because the image transmitted by the Puppet Flying Eagles was blurred due to the Demonic Qi, it was insufficient for Zhouyang and others to determine whether the black giant beast was alive or merely a statue.

But in the next moment, they knew.

The black giant beast on the altar suddenly opened its eyes and glanced coldly at the Puppet Flying Eagles circling the altar.

Bang, bang, bang!

After a series of explosive sounds, all the Jade Mirrors associated with the Puppet Flying Eagles shattered on the spot.

"Not good, let's retreat quickly!"

Xu Tianlin's eyelids twitched. As if realizing something, he suddenly shouted an order to retreat.

Seeing his appearance, it was clear he knew some inside information that others didn't.

However, no one had the mind to pursue this matter now. Everyone recognized the importance of the situation from his panicked and anxious tone.

Immediately, no one hesitated to use their Magical Power, all bursting with power, climbing towards the Demon Abyss exit, striving to leave this place as quickly as possible.

"Jie jie jie, since you are all here, why rush to leave?"

An eerie and sinister laugh echoed from all directions. It was the Demon Cultivators like Venerable Thousand Souls, who saw everyone preparing to leave, starting to take action to stop them.

This situation further intensified everyone's desire to leave.

If it weren't for some backing, how could just a few Demon Cultivators like Venerable Thousand Souls dare to show up to stop everyone from leaving?

"Ignore these Demons, everyone withdraw from the Demon Abyss first!"

Xu Tianlin shouted, his gaze focused, immediately waving his hand to launch a Tier Six Spirit Talisman, transforming into an enormous golden fireball aimed at the true form of Venerable Thousand Souls.

Seeing him set an example, the other Cultivators didn't hold back their Treasures either, waving their hands to release various Spirit Talismans and Thunder Pearls to clear the way.

They already had a numerical advantage, and having previously wiped out many enemy cannon fodder Demons, now using Spirit Talismans and Thunder Pearls to open the path, there was no reason not to succeed.

Amid bursts of roaring sounds, the Cultivators charged out of the Demon Abyss one after another.

"Fellow Daoist Guo, Fellow Daoist Wen, quickly inform those juniors to immediately retreat from the Demon Domain and return to Ice City!"

As soon as they exited the Demon Abyss, Xu Tianlin immediately ordered Guo Huaiyang and Cultivator Wen to notify the Golden Core Cultivators still on missions within the Demon Domain to retreat.

Previously in the Demon Abyss, influenced by the dense Demonic Qi there, they couldn't accurately transmit orders to those Golden Core Cultivators.

However, after exiting the Demon Abyss, this influence became minimal.

Guo and Wen knew the urgency of the matter. Upon hearing Xu Tianlin's words, they immediately sent the retreat command to the twelve groups of Golden Core Cultivators, using very urgent language.

And while these two were busy transmitting the message, the Cultivator You from the Nine Yang Sect suddenly looked at Xu Tianlin with curiosity, asking, "Fellow Daoist Xu, I didn't have a chance to ask earlier, but Fellow Daoist seems to know about the origin of the Demon Beast on the altar. Could you reveal some inside information to us?"

Hearing his words, even Guo and Wen, who were transmitting messages, couldn't help but show expressions of attention.

However, Xu Tianlin didn't intend to explain. He just shook his head solemnly and said, "This matter is a long story, and Xu cannot be certain if his guess is correct. Let's not discuss it for now. Everything will be said after we safely leave this Demon Domain!"

The more he said this, the more curious the Cultivators became.

But since he spoke to this extent, the Cultivators couldn't press the issue further. They had to suppress their doubts and board his Tier Six Magical Artifact Flying Ship, which he used to fly out of the Demon Domain.

Xu Tianlin was clearly truly anxious. While controlling the Flying Ship, he even disregarded the Artifact's endurance, pushing the speed of this Flying Spiritual Artifact to its extreme.

"Elder Qingyang, with your vast knowledge and the long heritage of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, do you know what Master Xu is wary of?"

On the Flying Ship, Zhouyang, who had remained silent, couldn't help but inquire of Master Cyan Yang next to him.

He had noticed earlier that when Xu Tianlin gave the retreat order, Master Cyan Yang's expression wasn't normal.

Although everyone's expressions weren't good at the time, Zhouyang knew in his heart that the expression of Master Cyan Yang was obviously different from others, indicating he knew some inside information that others didn't.

Seeing him inquire, Master Cyan Yang hesitated for a moment before responding in a transmission, "I cannot be sure, but according to some ancient sect texts, the altar and the Demon Beast upon it seem somewhat similar to a situation described in the records."

"What situation? Elder, please tell, even if mistaken, it's okay."

Zhouyang saw Master Cyan Yang's concern and quickly spoke to reassure him.

With his assurance, Master Cyan Yang no longer hesitated and immediately transmitted his words, "It's an Ancient Secret Technique brought by True Immortals and True Demons from the Lower Realm. It is said that by constructing an altar and offering sacrifices and tokens along with a suitable vessel placed on the altar, one might invite a wisp of a Great Power from the Upper Realm to reside within it, turning it into a temporary Incarnation of great existence!"

"If so, and if Elder's guess is true, wouldn't that Demon Beast be an Incarnation of some Great Power from the True Demon Realm!"

Zhouyang's pupils shrank, and his expression drastically changed.

He couldn't help but think of his nominal mentor, Master Donglai. When the other party communicated with him, wasn't it because an earlier Split Soul was activated by him, allowing a wisp of its consciousness to descend and communicate across realms?

And at that time, Master Donglai's actual power had not yet reached the Returning Void Stage.

"It is precisely because of this that Fellow Daoist Xu is so eager to leave!"

"You must know, although the Incarnation of a Great Power from the Upper Realm will be restricted by this realm's laws, unable to possess cultivation beyond this realm, nor bring Upper Realm Artifacts or Treasures, its mastery over the Heaven and Earth Laws will not be greatly diminished!"

"In ancient times, even a great power with only Nascent Soul cultivation had performed the remarkable feat of defying the gods!"

Since Master Cyan Yang had begun to speak, he had no reservations and immediately conveyed everything he knew to Zhouyang.

His words were filled with a tone of concern, clearly worried that his suspicions would come true.

While listening to Master Cyan Yang, Zhouyang keenly grasped a crucial point.

He looked at Master Cyan Yang with surprise and asked, "What do you mean by Nascent Soul cultivation, Elder? Could it be that the avatars of great powers from the Upper Realm cannot even reach the Tribulation Crossing Stage?"

"Of course, you must know that the Tribulation Crossing Stage is also known as the True Immortal level. How could the Immortal and Mortal Barrier be so easily crossed?"

Master Cyan Yang glanced at Zhouyang and patiently explained, "Even for a great power of the Returning Void Stage from the Upper Realm, when descending across two worlds, the split soul that arrives cannot carry much power. The power of the prepared vessel must not be too strong, or it would hinder the soul possession."

"In such cases, after successful possession, the split soul of those great powers must enhance their cultivation through personal cultivation like us normal cultivators. They only lack the bottleneck in the realm compared to us!"

"Moreover, when advancing to the Tribulation Crossing Stage, although the avatars of great powers do not face bottlenecks, they still must endure the True Immortal Celestial Tribulation, and its power might even surpass the tribulation of normal cultivators."

So that's how it is!

Zhouyang nodded thoughtfully, feeling much relieved of his worries.

As long as the cultivation does not surpass his by a great realm, with various means at hand to counter demon cultivators, he believed that even if that demon beast pursued him, he wouldn't be left powerless.

Thinking of this, he immediately nodded to Master Cyan Yang and replied, "I understand, Elder. Rest assured, as long as the enemy's cultivation does not exceed the Nascent Soul Stage, with the help of our demon-suppressing treasures, escaping this place shouldn't be an issue!"

However, Master Cyan Yang wasn't as confident as he was. Upon hearing his words, he only sighed in concern, "Ah, just be careful at all times!"

At the same time, as Xu Tianlin was desperately steering the flying ship to carry the cultivators away from the Demon Domain, the demon cultivators such as Venerable Thousand Souls who previously blocked their exit at the Demon Abyss were kneeling outside the icy entrance of the Abyss, not daring to lift their heads, explaining the situation to the black demon beast.

"Lord Saint Demon, please see clearly, it's not that we refused to exert ourselves, it's just that the intruding cultivators were too numerous and powerful!"

"But now that you have awakened, those cultivators cannot escape. We are willing to lead the way for you and follow your commands!"

Venerable Thousand Souls cautiously justified himself, fearing that a single wrong word would lead to being swallowed whole by this lord, as precedent had occurred before.

"Useless things, are you teaching me how to do things?"

The black behemoth, with its long, sharp, tusked pig mouth, uttered words that instantly frightened Venerable Thousand Souls into collapsing on the ground.

"I dare not! Lord Saint Demon, spare my life, I realize my mistake. Please give me a chance to redeem myself; I won't disappoint you again!"

Venerable Thousand Souls, a dignified late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was reduced to pleading pathetically like a dog, kowtowing fervently for mercy.

The other demon cultivators, seeing this, were filled with fear but did not dare to speak up for him.

To the black behemoth, such occurrences seemed natural. It snorted disdainfully, "Humph, if it weren't for needing you all to find blood sacrifices for me, I wouldn't let you off for your previous words!"

Before the voice faded, it cast its gaze in the direction of Zhouyang and the others' departure, moved its body, and swiftly transformed into a black phantom to give chase.

Its confidence in its own strength made it dismiss the dozen Nascent Soul cultivators as insignificant, let alone needing the help of what it saw as mere servants like Venerable Thousand Souls.

Even though its current cultivation realm was merely at the late-stage Nascent Soul, not even reaching the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm.

"Not good, it's catching up, everyone prepare for battle!"

On the flying ship, Xu Tianlin suddenly stopped, with a serious expression watching the direction they came from, ready for battle.

Just after he finished speaking, in just over ten breaths, the silhouette of the black behemoth appeared within the divine sense of Zhouyang and others.

"Everyone, be cautious. This beast's cultivation level is the same as ours, yet it's the split soul incarnation of a Returning Void great power, its strength cannot be compared with cultivators of the same tier. Together we may face it, but for anyone considering escaping alone, it will endanger others and surely result in their own death at its hands!"

Approaching battle, Xu Tianlin finally revealed some of the origins of the black behemoth.

This information evidently shocked those who were unaware, causing their expressions to change drastically, with some even exclaiming aloud.

Not everyone was like Zhouyang, already exposed to such intimidating existences that even Tribulation Crossing True Immortals revered early on in the Nascent Soul Stage.

Now, hearing suddenly that their adversary was the split soul incarnation of a Returning Void Holy Demon, how could anyone remain unfazed?

Yet the situation allowed no time for these people to think, as the black behemoth, hundreds of miles away, had already started its assault.

Roar!

From hundreds of miles away, it roared, causing a storm-like auditory impact in Zhouyang and others' Sea of Consciousness,

Under this auditory assault, except for Xu Tianlin, Guo Huaiyang, and Zhouyang, whose divine sense strength reached the late-stage Nascent Soul, only they barely retained a bit of clarity, while the others screamed in agony, plummeting downwards.

"Wake up!"

Xu Tianlin bit his tongue and roared, a sound like thunder exploding in every cultivator's mind, forcibly aiding them to awaken from the black behemoth's divine sense attack with some kind of Awakening Secret Technique.

In those brief moments, the black behemoth once again closed the distance, appearing just over twenty miles away from them.

"Demon, perish!"

Guo Huaiyang shouted, as a thick crimson divine thunder precisely struck the black behemoth, the "Red Sky Divine Thunder" he had cultivated for hundreds of years.

His "Red Sky Divine Thunder" had reached the Great Success Realm, and when this divine thunder struck, it could annihilate demons like the White Bone Demon King and the Blood-haired Evil Ghost Zhouyang had encountered before.

But an unexpected turn of events happened for Zhouyang and others.

The crimson divine thunder struck the black behemoth, and with a flash of demon light on its body, it effortlessly neutralized the immensely powerful thunder without a scratch on its skin.