The Yellow Sand Ancient City on the edge of the Western Desert appeared particularly eerie under the moonlight. disciples of the Demon Suppression Bureau's Investigation Hall hid in the shadows of broken walls and ruins, suppressing even their breathing to the extreme. They had been here for seven days and seven nights, only to wait for that legendary "Demon Clan descendants" to appear.
"Hall Master, there's movement in the southeast direction." Lin Suwen reported quietly through the Messaging Talisman. The monitoring formation in her hand was flickering with an ominous red glow—that was the reaction when pure demonic energy was detected.
Liu Yun hid atop an abandoned pagoda, the Sin-Slaying Sword trembling slightly in its sheath. Her gaze locked onto the half-collapsed temple at the city's center, where several black shadows were plotting something.
"Confirm the target's identity." she ordered calmly.
Through special observation artifacts, the scene inside the temple could be clearly seen: three black-robed cultivators were conversing with several familiar figures—the remaining Silver Mask elders of Shadow Snake Pavilion!
"As expected, it's them." A cold light flashed in Liu Yun's eyes. Since the demonic entity was sealed, the Shadow Snake remnants had vanished without a trace. She never expected them to appear here.
What was even more concerning was those three black-robed cultivators. Their bodies emanated an aura completely different from ordinary demon cultivators—more ancient, purer, as if from some forgotten era.
"They mentioned 'Ancestor' and 'Sacred Land.'" Lin Suwen interpreted from lip-reading. "They seem to be searching for a certain place."
Just then, a sudden occurred! One of the black-robed cultivators suddenly turned, his directly gazing toward Liu Yun's hiding spot.
"We've been discovered! Retreat!" Liu Yun made a decisive decision.
But it was already too late. That black-robed cultivator waved his hand, and the entire ancient city was suddenly enveloped by a massive black barrier. flowed on the barrier's surface, emanating an ancient demonic energy that chilled the heart.
"This is... an ancient demon formation!" Ouye Zi's voice came through the Messaging Talisman, carrying. "They truly are Demon Clan descendants!"
Liu Yun drew her sword, the Sin-Slaying Sword transforming into a streak of white light slashing toward the barrier. But to everyone's shock, sword light sufficient to sever ordinary demonic energy was directly devoured upon contacting the barrier!
"Useless." A hoarse voice echoed in the night sky. "This is a sacred formation left by our Ancestor. How could you mere mortals possibly break it?"
The three black-robed cultivators slowly rose into the air, their true appearances finally revealed under the moonlight—pale skin covered in, small horns growing on their foreheads, eyes of pure blood-red. These were precisely the characteristics of pure-blooded demons recorded in ancient texts!
"Didn't expect to encounter true demons in this era." Liu Yun held her sword, her tone ice-cold.
The leader of the Demon Clan descendants: "Our clan never left. We merely waited for the Ancestor's summons. And now... the time has finally come."
He pointed, and the barrier began to contract. Powerful pressure caused lower-level disciples to spit blood and collapse directly.
"Form sword array!" Liu Yun shouted. The surviving disciples immediately formed Qingxu Temple's Seven Stars Sword Array. Sword light like silked the barrier's pressure.
But everyone could see this was merely a stopgap measure. This ancient demon formation's power far exceeded expectations. Even cultivators like Liu Yun at the Nascent Soul sword cultivation level felt strained.
At this critical moment, a point of golden light suddenly brightened in the sky. That light, initially faint, transformed in an instant into a massive Qinglian. The lotus slowly rotated, pure purification power falling like rain.
"The Alliance Leader is here!" The disciples cheered.
Xiao Qi's figure manifested within the lotus's center. His gaze swept across the Demon Clan descendants below, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes: "Didn't expect pure-blooded demons to still exist."
"Tang Xiaoqi..." The Demon Clan descendant leader's expression grew solemn. "We have no intention of opposing the Alliance, merely wish to retrieve what belongs to our Ancestor."
"Ancestor?" Xiao Qi. "You mean the demonic entity sealed in the void?"
This made all three Demon Clan descendants' expressions change simultaneously. Obviously, they hadn't expected Xiao Qi to be so knowledgeable about the demonic entity's whereabouts.
"Since you know the Ancestor's location," the leader's eyes flickered with greed, "then we certainly cannot let you go!"
He formed seals with both hands, and the ancient demon formation suddenly changed. The runes on the barrier came alive, transforming into countless menacing demon shadows lunging toward Xiao Qi.
"Insignificant tricks." Xiao Qi lightly waved his hand, and the Qinglian bloomed with myriad radiant light. The demon shadows melted like snow and ice in the radiant light, and even that seemingly impenetrable barrier began showing cracks.
"Impossible!" The Demon Clan descendants roared. "This is a sacred formation personally transmitted by our Ancestor. How could you..."
His words cut off abruptly. Xiao Qi had somehow already appeared before him, his finger lightly touching his brow.
"Soul searching."
Vast spiritual sense forcibly invaded the Demon Clan descendant's sea of consciousness. Xiao Qi saw many dust-laden memories: the demons' glory in ancient times, the war with righteous cultivators, the final retreat and concealment... and most importantly—the "Sacred Land" they were searching for was actually a secret cache left by the demonic entity, containing secret methods that could rapidly enhance demon power!
"So that's it..." Xiao Qi suddenly understood. No wonder these Demon Clan descendants would appear at this time. They wanted to obtain sufficient power before the demonic entity revived, to in the new era.
He continued deeper investigation and discovered an even more shocking secret: the founder of Shadow Snake Pavilion was actually a Demon Clan descendant who had infiltrated humanity! This organization, from its establishment, was prepared to aid the demonic entity's revival!
"Such deep scheming..." Xiao Qi withdrew his spiritual sense. That Demon Clan descendant had gone limp to the ground, his soul and spirit destroyed.
The other two Demon Clan descendants, seeing this, tried to flee, but were blocked by Liu Yun and Mu Xue who had arrived in time. After a fierce battle, one was captured and one self-destructed.
The captured Demon Clan descendant, under harsh interrogation, revealed more intelligence: the demons still had multiple hideouts throughout the realms, all searching for that Sacred Land. The key to the Sacred Land had been divided into three portions, respectively held by the three oldest demon families.
"We must find the Sacred Land first." Xiao Qi told Alliance high command. "We absolutely cannot let the demons obtain its secret methods."
A contest surrounding the ancient secret cache thus unfolded. And Xiao Qi vaguely sensed this Sacred Land likely had some connection with the demonic entity's plan in the void.
In the following investigation, they discovered an unsettling fact: the Sacred Land's location actually with a certain void rift entrance shown on the astrolabe!
"This is no coincidence." Xiao Qi's expression was grave. "The demonic entity planned this long ago."
They had to accelerate their actions. Before the demonic entity completed its evolution, they must find the Sacred Land and unravel all mysteries. And this race against time would determine the future of the three realms.