Chapter 577: The Arrival of the Eternal Abyss Sanctuary Envoy

Looking up, Concubine Yunxia's pupils constricted.

Above them, a spirit boat, wreathed in lightning, hovered in the air. Inside stood an old man and two younger individuals. One of them, a nineteen-year-old girl with a pointed face, was happily examining the Blood Bodhi. "I can't believe a ruined place like this has something as good as a Blood Bodhi!" she chirped. "The chance of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm just increased by ten percent, hehe!"

"Isn't it rather rude of you to steal something from someone else?" Concubine Yunxia retorted, her face flushed with anger and shame. Even though the opponents were clearly powerful, she was not one to easily give in or suffer a loss.

The pointed-faced girl looked over, her thin lips twisting into a disdainful sneer. "What use is a Blood Bodhi to someone who failed their tribulation?" she scoffed. "Even if you had more, you'd never break through to the Nascent Soul realm in this lifetime." With that, she casually tossed a red spiritual pill downwards.

"This is a longevity pill that adds ten years to your life. Take it and live a few more years, that's more appropriate." Concubine Yunxia was furious.

She struck out with a palm, sending the pill flying away. "Who wants your spiritual pill?" she said coldly. "Return my Blood Bodhi!" A longevity pill, let alone one that only added ten years, was nowhere near as valuable as the Blood Bodhi. And even if it were, how dare they openly steal something and then try to justify it?

Even Jiang Fan frowned slightly. This girl was truly arrogant! Relying on her slight spiritual powers, she just brazenly snatched someone's treasure and then condescendingly tossed a pill as if giving charity!

The girl huffed, disdaining to respond. Beside her, a young man in his twenties stroked his chin, his gaze boldly roaming over Concubine Yunxia, lingering shamelessly on her full chest.

"Which demon tribe are you from?" he asked. "Such a beautiful demoness is rare. I am Lu Liang from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall. I'd like to befriend you, Immortal Maiden." The Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall?

Concubine Yunxia, who had just been furious, suddenly changed her expression. The Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall, one of the divine sects from beyond the realms? That was an immense power, a transcendent force far beyond what the demon race could contend with.

"Sit down, both of you," the robed old man, who stood at the front of the spirit boat, said indifferently at this moment. "When you're out and about, avoid causing trouble."

Lu Liang and the girl immediately shrunk back, obediently sitting down, not daring to even breathe loudly. The robed old man glanced down at them.

He had a youthful face and hair like white cranes, and a terrifying aura pulsed around him, no less potent than that of a Demon Emperor. His gaze swept over Concubine Yunxia, seemingly detecting the Demon Emperor's aura within her.

A hint of apprehension appeared in his eyes. He cupped his hands and said, "My unruly disciples were impudent and offended you. The Blood Bodhi is greatly beneficial for my disciple's breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm. I humbly ask you to part with it. Consider this item a fair exchange." He then flicked his whisk.

A single strand detached and floated gently into Concubine Yunxia's hand. Concubine Yunxia looked closely, her eyes filled with confusion. Although she didn't know what it was, an astonishing spiritual light shimmered on its surface, clearly indicating it was no ordinary item.

"This is a Serene Lotus Silk. If you keep it with you, it can weaken the demonic qi within your body, giving you renewed hope of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm." Hearing this, Concubine Yunxia's beautiful eyes sparkled. A look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face, and she quickly cupped her hands, saying, "Thank you, Senior!"

The "demonic qi" referred to the impurities that had accumulated in her body when she failed to break through to the Nascent Soul realm previously. Its presence prevented her from sensing the Nascent Soul realm, making a breakthrough impossible. This was also why the girl had said she could no longer break through to the Nascent Soul realm, as it was almost impossible for someone who had failed once to try again.

However, this single strand of Serene Lotus Silk offered her hope. While it might not completely purge the demonic qi, any amount of hope was precious!

The old man nodded. He waved his whisk, and the spirit boat transformed into a streak of lightning, vanishing towards the west. Concubine Yunxia was overjoyed, a long-lost expression of happiness gracing her face.

Her joy, however, was quickly dampened by Jiang Fan's merciless words. "Still smiling? They're headed towards the Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties!" Concubine Yunxia's face immediately fell. "Oh no," she said.

"Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf, run faster!" If they arrived too late, there would be nothing left for them.

Meanwhile, on the spirit boat.

The girl pouted in dissatisfaction. "Master, why were you so polite to that woman? She's just a demoness."

The old man said calmly, "She carries the aura of a Demon Emperor. Unless I'm mistaken, she should be the woman of the Azure Sky Demon Emperor, the ruler of the demon race in this land."

The girl scoffed dismissively. "We are from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall, and Master, your strength is no less than that of this Demon Emperor. Are we truly afraid of him?" She glanced at her master's whisk. Normally, her master wouldn't even part with those silk strands for his own disciples, yet he had given one away to that woman for free. The old man said earnestly, "Even a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake."

"The Azure Sky Demon Emperor was able to unite the demon race, so he naturally has his capabilities. There's no need to provoke him unnecessarily. It's always best to be more cautious and less reckless when traveling."

Lu Liang, however, was still infatuated with Concubine Yunxia's stunning beauty and exquisite figure. His eyes darted about, and he said:

"Master, after we recover the remains of Daoist Six Paths, can we stay here for a few extra days?" The old man's expression grew slightly solemn. "Daoist Six Paths may not be dead!"

"Years ago, he explored the secret realm of the Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties with the Tiger Demon Emperor of this land. One went missing, and the other died suddenly. The Tiger Demon Emperor is truly dead, but that might not be the case for Daoist Six Paths. From what I know of him, he always keeps a contingency plan and would never perish so easily."

Lu Liang's heart trembled. A hint of worry appeared on his face. "If he's still alive, Master, can you handle him? After all, he is the infamous Daoist Six Paths. The number of Nascent Soul cultivators who died by his hand is countless."

The old man shot him a sidelong glance. "That's why we need to be fully vigilant. Don't let your mind be preoccupied with women!"

Lu Liang looked abashed. So, his master had seen through his little thoughts. The old man's tone softened slightly, and he said, "Do your job well."

"If we can find what Daoist Six Paths stole back then, I will discuss it with the Azure Sky Demon Emperor. I will get that woman for you." Lu Liang was overjoyed.

The thought of conquering that peerlessly beautiful demoness filled his eyes with fervent desire and made his heart pound with anticipation.

A few days later.

At the westernmost edge of the demon race territory, the landscape was no longer a vast, snowy world. Instead, it was a muddy, black earth, like a swamp.

The sky was perpetually overcast, blocking out the sun year-round. A mouse with soaking wet fur was burrowing in the mud, searching for food.

Suddenly, a patterned venomous snake shot out of the mud beside it, bit the mouse, and coiled tightly around it. Both creatures struggled violently in the mire.

*Smack!* Just then, a massive wolf's claw stomped down heavily, instantly crushing both the snake and the mouse into a pulp.

"This is the Ancient Capital of Nine Dynasties?" Jiang Fan, standing on the Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf's back, gazed at the endless ruins stretching across the black earth, feeling deeply shocked. For dozens of miles, as far as the eye could see, there were dense rows of crumbling walls and broken ruins. Collapsed stone beams, walls swaying in the wind, and stone gates half-buried in the mud. One could faintly imagine the once vibrant city, filled with countless lights and flourishing splendor. Alas, a thousand years later, only scattered bricks, broken tiles, and a desolate wasteland remained.

Concubine Yunxia sighed softly. "Our demon race was once glorious too." Only powerful demons, those in human form or close to it, would have lived in such structures. It was clear how prosperous the demon race had been in those days.

However, that was all in the past. Everything had transformed into a historical sigh.

Her gaze sharpened. "West Bell Temple is over there!" Jiang Fan followed her line of sight. Indeed, on a towering mountain, he saw the ruins of a dilapidated temple.

His heart tensed. "The people from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall should have arrived at least two days before us. I hope we're not too late." His words made Concubine Yunxia nervous as well.

They quickly moved towards the temple ruins. The ground where the Great Hero Hall once stood had collapsed, revealing an enormous pit. A dust-covered staircase led directly to the bottom.

Faintly visible on the stairs were three sets of footprints. Clearly, the three individuals had already entered. "We're too late, as expected," Jiang Fan frowned.

The evil spirit, however, chuckled. "I'm not worried, so why are you?" Indeed, the evil spirit should have been more anxious than Jiang Fan about someone getting there first. Why had it not urged them on the whole way? Could it be that this wasn't the path to the secret realm after all?