Ye Feng floated silently in the air, his gaze fixed on Lin Qingtan and Ling Qingzhu as they cultivated within the swirling gray clouds.
The bone-eroding wind howled around them, sharp as knives and shrill as banshees. The sky dimmed under its weight, and the black-gray gusts swept across the land like a plague. Even the ancient monsters had long since taken refuge, hiding in cracks and crevices where the wind couldn't reach.
"Ah!"
A scream echoed from above. An unfortunate cultivator dropped from the sky, his body mangled and torn. Clearly, he had underestimated the ferocity of the bone-eroding wind.
Ye Feng remained still. He knew well that this wind wasn't simply a natural phenomenon—it was an ancient method used by powerful sects to temper their disciples. Those who could endure it would be reborn stronger.
To his current body—an indestructible golden vessel—the bone-eroding wind felt more like a gentle breeze carving polished jade. It posed no real threat.
Roughly ten minutes later, Lin Qingtan and Ling Qingzhu stepped out from the gusting haze, their auras noticeably stronger. Without a word, they rejoined Ye Feng, and the trio pressed onward.
After an hour of travel, the landscape began to change. Faint silhouettes of people appeared in the distance, and the spiritual energy grew thicker with every step.
"Young Master Ye, there's something up ahead," Lin Qingtan said, her voice calm but alert.
Ye Feng nodded. "A stone pavilion. There's a skeleton inside—someone who died attempting to break through to the Nirvana Realm. A Nirvana Pill lies on his palm."
"Nirvana Pill?" Lin Qingtan's eyes flickered, though she quickly calmed herself. "I'm already in the Nirvana Realm. It wouldn't do much for me, but… I could give it to my mother."
Images of Liu Yan, her mother, surfaced in Lin Qingtan's mind. She had stepped into the Tianyuan Realm, and with the help of the Chaos God's light, she might soon touch Nirvana. When that time came, the pill would be invaluable.
"Wait here. I'll go retrieve it." Without hesitation, Lin Qingtan darted toward the stone pavilion perched atop a nearby mountain.
Dozens of Demonic Wind Eagles circled the peak, their wings stirring up fierce gales as they shrieked into the air. But the moment Lin Qingtan stepped foot on the mountain, a wave of frost swept outward, plunging the temperature several degrees. The beasts shrank back in fear, unwilling to provoke her.
With ease, she climbed to the pavilion and entered.
The skeletal figure inside sat cross-legged in eternal meditation, his robes tattered but still exuding a faint spiritual pressure. Lin Qingtan bowed respectfully, then reached toward the two Nirvana Pills hovering above his bony palm.
But just as her fingers brushed the glowing pills—
Clack.
The skeletal hand suddenly moved, clutching her wrist.
"Mm!" Lin Qingtan stiffened.
Before she could react, a beam of light shot from the skeleton's eye socket and struck her forehead. Images flooded her mind—visions of the past.
She saw this very space, vibrant and full of cultivators, each more powerful than the last. But then, darkness spread like ink in water, and one by one, the mighty figures were reduced to ash. The ground cracked open, revealing an abyss, and from that abyss surged a black light inscribed with ancient runes.
Those runes clashed with the invading darkness, dispersing it in a brilliant explosion of power.
Lin Qingtan gasped, eyes wide. She carefully retrieved the Nirvana Pills and returned to Ye Feng.
"Master, I saw something," she said solemnly.
"What did you see?" Ling Qingzhu asked softly.
"There was a great darkness... It consumed everyone. Then a black light—engraved with runes—rose from the earth and annihilated the darkness. I think… that light was the Devouring Ancestral Talisman."
Ye Feng nodded slightly. "Your guess is correct. That darkness was the Demon Clan. The light you saw was the Devouring Ancestral Talisman—one of the eight left behind by the Talisman Ancestor. Each has a unique power. The Devouring Talisman can consume anything, even the void itself."
"The Demon Clan?" Lin Qingtan frowned. "Are they really that strong?"
"For this world, yes," Ye Feng replied. "During the last war between heaven and earth, the Demon Clan invaded the Tianxuan Continent. Fu Zu, the Talisman Ancestor, led the resistance. In the end, he sealed the Demon Emperor, sacrificing himself in the process. Of his eight disciples, seven either reincarnated or fell into slumber. Only the Lord of Devouring remained."
Lin Qingtan was stunned. "So powerful…"
Ye Feng's gaze deepened. "Compared to the universe at large, the Demon Clan here is a mere offshoot—weak. Their so-called emperors are nothing more than errand boys for the true rulers of the outer realms."
"So even the Demon Emperor here…" Lin Qingtan trailed off.
"Is just a glorified messenger," Ye Feng said bluntly. "Their strength may impress the locals, but they're still tools—used to harvest resources for their betters."
He continued, "Fu Zu came here to search for a way to break into the Supreme Heaven Realm.
Ye Feng's lips curled into a faint smile. "But I'm still curious. I want to see how many moves that Heavenly Evil God—whom even Yan Emperor and Wu Zu once joined forces to fight—can endure from me."
His words sent a chill down both women's spines.
This man was truly fearless.
"It's time. Let's head to the core area," Ye Feng said.
He tilted his head, eyes falling on Lin Qingtan. A strange sense of intuition tugged at him. Because Lin Dong had not entered the ancient monument, the threads of fate had shifted. And now, the one most likely to seize the greatest fortune here… was her.
After half a day's travel, the scenery finally changed.
Before them stretched an endless plain. Crumbling temples, shattered formations, and ancient ruins sprawled out across the land. The remnants of an ancient sect—still exuding a majestic, time-worn aura—stood quietly beneath the dim sky.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9