Chapter 579: Ambush

"I left a hidden restriction at the entrance, and it's been triggered," Yun Youzi said softly.

"Unlike human cultivators, demon cultivators below the Transformation Stage require Emperor's Nectar to fully awaken their intelligence. In Heavenly Demon Hill, Emperor's Nectar is controlled by the Demon Kings. Therefore, most awakened demon core cultivators serve under a Demon King; it's rare to find rogue cultivators at the Golden Core stage, unlike human cultivators. This demon cultivator is likely a trusted subordinate of a Demon King, having entered the inner hall with them, which explains their swift arrival. The impact of the Sinister Abyss's attack is immense; the three domains are on the brink of chaos, and Heavenly Demon Hill can no longer remain aloof. The Demon Kings are probably eager to reach Heavenly Mountain quickly to secure more treasures, which is why they didn't linger in the outer hall..."

While the Sinister Abyss's attack presented an opportunity for them, it also introduced unforeseen variables.

Qin Sang looked up at the cliff top, his gaze hardening. He took out a Void Sky Thunder from his iron-plated finger, but Yun Youzi immediately pressed his hand down.

Yun Youzi gently shook his head and said gravely, "We don't know the demon's strength yet, nor how many have arrived. This isn't the place to act. I need to leave a hidden mark first to ascertain their cultivation level before we make a decision."

With that, Yun Youzi scanned his surroundings and suddenly leaped into the gloomy pool.

The water in the gloomy pool parted automatically. Yun Youzi moved with extreme caution to prevent any lingering aura.

They had maintained this vigilance throughout their journey, clearing any lingering auras to avoid detection by later demon cultivators.

After a moment, Yun Youzi emerged from the parting water, having left behind some unknown hidden mark.

"Let's break the restriction!" Yun Youzi said.

"We can't stop now," Yun Youzi continued. "We need to move as fast as possible. If this demon's cultivation is high, it's uncertain how effective the Void Sky Thunder and Flying Yaksha will be. The Void Sky Thunder has too small a range, and the Flying Yaksha's power is limited. We might need to use the ancient restrictions to drive them off."

Qin Sang knew Yun Youzi was right; although his methods could indeed threaten demon core cultivators, they had significant limitations and required careful planning to be effective.

His understanding of the ancient medicinal garden and its restrictions was far inferior to Yun Youzi's, so he followed Yun Youzi's instructions meticulously. The Flying Yaksha opened a path, and without hesitation, Qin Sang and Yun Youzi immediately leaped through.

Ahead, ancient restrictions blocked their way; behind them, pursuers approached.

Qin Sang and Yun Youzi moved faster than before, not daring to rest. They swiftly broke through layer after layer of ancient restrictions, delving deeper into the ancient medicinal garden.

They continued directly towards the Scarlet Cloud Purple Fruit, neither yielding nor evading.

Apart from the unknown dangers in other restricted areas, there was only one Scarlet Cloud Purple Fruit. To evade would mean giving it away.

After breaking through four layers of ancient restrictions in succession, they arrived at a hill covered in wildflowers.

Yun Youzi stopped, a slight smile appearing on his face as he said relaxedly, "It's a Golden Eagle demon beast. I remember its cultivation is only at the early Demon Core stage, and it's injured, so there's nothing to worry about!"

Qin Sang didn't dare relax, quickly asking, "Only one Golden Eagle demon?"

"That's right," Yun Youzi nodded. "The Sinister Abyss's attack caused too much chaos, and you, Brother Qin, weren't in the formation, so you certainly wouldn't have noticed. When the Sinister Abyss departed, it shattered a corner of the Minor Northern Dipper Star Formation, which happened to be where the Heavenly Demon Hill cultivators were located. The demon cultivators suffered heavy casualties, and the survivors were all injured. I remember this Golden Eagle demon beast; its cultivation is limited. We won't even need your Void Sky Thunder; we can easily trap it using the power of the ancient restrictions."

Immediately, the two discussed their plan briefly, then continued forward.

The ancient medicinal garden was vast, containing many large spaces, each sealed by an ancient restriction.

Mountains undulated, and vegetation was lush and green.

It was a scene full of vitality.

Suddenly, a loud eagle cry echoed through the air, followed by the startling appearance of a golden lightning bolt.

The golden lightning bolt instantly streaked over several mountaintops, then swiftly landed on a protruding rock, revealing its true form: a Golden Eagle!

The Golden Eagle folded its wings, appearing incredibly majestic. Its eyes were sharp and fierce, and its entire body shimmered with golden feathers, as if coated in gilded gold. Yet, it wasn't as massive as common Golden Eagles, whose wingspans can reach dozens of feet.

With its wings spread, its size was comparable to that of a human.

However, this Golden Eagle possessed an exceptionally powerful aura, and its eyes were unusually intelligent, gleaming with wisdom, a trait not found in ordinary demon beasts.

It stood on the rock, gazing intently at the gorge ahead.

A moment later, a strange glint appeared in the Golden Eagle's eyes, and it opened its mouth, spewing out a bolt of lightning.

The sound of thunder reverberated through the mountains.

This was a genuine lightning bolt, formed by the Golden Eagle's condensed demonic power, incredibly destructive and incredibly swift.

Unexpectedly, as the lightning bolt reached above the gorge, it encountered an obstruction.

*Boom!*

A Bagua pattern materialized with a loud roar, clearly an manifestation of the ancient restriction's power.

The golden lightning struck the center of the Bagua pattern squarely, yet failed to budge it, even as it dissipated.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

The Bagua pattern suddenly began to spin rapidly. A point of golden light flashed at its center, immediately shooting out an identical lightning bolt towards the Golden Eagle.

The ancient restriction had returned the golden lightning, and with double the power!

A flicker of disdain crossed the Golden Eagle's eyes. With a flap of its wings, it shattered the lightning bolt, then shuddered, sending countless feathers detaching from its body, shooting out like sharp arrows.

In an instant, countless golden lights engulfed the Bagua pattern.

With a *crack*, a tiny fissure appeared in the Bagua pattern, and the next moment, a point of golden light seized the opportunity to pass through the gap.

Intense pressure still remained within the Bagua pattern's fissure, causing excruciating pain to the Golden Eagle's bones and sinews as it endured the pressure to pass through.

Unexpectedly, just as it emerged from the other side of the ancient restriction, a white light suddenly descended from the sky.

The white light appeared gentle, without any terrifying aura.

For some reason, the Golden Eagle sensed a heart-pounding aura from it.

At that moment, half of the Golden Eagle's body was still caught within the ancient restriction. It had not expected an ambush here.

The Golden Eagle shrieked, reacting incredibly swiftly. It instantly spewed out a lightning bolt from its mouth, and simultaneously, its physical body seemed to break a seal, suddenly growing larger.

Its bones creaked and groaned as they expanded.

As its body rapidly expanded, a wound at the base of the Golden Eagle's left wing was exposed and ripped open again, gushing blood and filling the air with a metallic scent.

This was an old wound, now ruptured anew under the pressure of the ancient restriction.

The injuries on its body were from fragments that struck it when the Minor Northern Dipper Star Formation shattered, nearly claiming its life and proving extremely severe. Even after consuming many spiritual pills, they remained ineffective; it only began to heal after a Demon King intervened. Now, its hidden injuries had worsened.

The Golden Eagle shrieked loudly, falling into a furious rage.

Disregarding its hidden injuries, it forcefully spread its wings, using its physical strength to pry open the ancient restriction's fissure.

In an instant, the Golden Eagle freed itself from the ancient restriction.