Just after the Great Cultivator of the Inner Peak annihilated the manifested Heavenly Demon True Body, Fan Mo returned to Little Spirit Void Peak, his face grim.
The disaster had devastated Little Spirit Void Peak. Stewards at the seventh layer of Qi Refining and above, the Heavenly Demon's primary targets, had been nearly wiped out. Lower-level Qi Refining disciples had also suffered heavily in the initial Black Qi assault. The majority of survivors were mid-stage Qi Refining disciples.
Statistics showed that less than seventy percent of Little Spirit Void Peak's disciples had survived. In this Heavenly Demon invasion, over two hundred Outer Sect disciples had met untimely deaths.
Fortunately, the Great Cultivator had intervened. Had they arrived any later, the death toll would undoubtedly have been far higher.
Fan Mo's second cause for distress was his abandonment of the peak's disciples at a critical moment, fleeing alone to save his own life.
While this desperate act had saved him, it had drawn harsh criticism from several Outer Peak Lords in the Sect Management Hall. They accused him of deserting his post in a time of crisis, deemed him unworthy of his position as Peak Lord, and demanded his resignation.
Although the Sect Leader had temporarily suppressed the motion, Fan Mo knew he had left a terrible impression on the sect's higher echelons, irrevocably tarnishing his reputation.
Meanwhile, Han Yi had already left Little Spirit Void Peak.
After the Great Cultivator departed, Han Yi dared not linger, fearing lingering dangers might still lurk on the peak. He quickly descended the mountain.
In truth, most of the disciples on Little Spirit Void Peak were also eager to leave. They scattered like startled rabbits, fleeing as fast as their legs could carry them.
On the surface, the battle seemed to be over, but they knew it was better to be safe than sorry. As the saying goes, "A wise man doesn't stand beneath a crumbling wall," and cultivators were even more cautious.
Han Yi naturally chose Vermilion Bird Peak as his destination. As one of the Nine Inner Peaks and home to the Sect Management Hall, Vermilion Bird Peak was a hub of constant activity, with no restrictions on entry or exit.
Most importantly, even among the Inner Peaks, Vermilion Bird Peak ranked among the top three, permanently guarded by a Great Cultivator of the Golden Core Stage.
Han Yi moved swiftly. By the time he reached Vermilion Bird Peak, other Outer Sect Disciples were gradually arriving.
Most of these disciples came from the Outer Peaks closest to Little Spirit Void Peak, with a smaller number from Little Spirit Void Peak itself.
Those from other Outer Peaks had witnessed the battle on Little Spirit Void Peak and, feeling unsafe, had fled to Vermilion Bird Peak for refuge.
The mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators on Little Spirit Void Peak, like Han Yi, were pale and visibly shaken, still reeling from the terrifying experience.
"What exactly happened?"
"I don't know either. All I know is that Little Spirit Void Peak was devastated. If even two or three out of ten Senior Brothers managed to escape, we'd be lucky."
"How could a Heavenly Demon True Body manifest? Damn it!"
"This is sect territory! For something like this to happen here is outrageous!"
"Wait, aren't you from Little Bamboo Leaf Peak? Why did you flee here too?"
"Don't even mention it. Little Bamboo Leaf Peak is right next to Little Spirit Void Peak. We all saw that terrifying black giant. No one escaped from Little Valley Sword Peak, and Little Spirit Void Peak was ravaged as well. If we hadn't run, we'd have been sitting ducks waiting to die!"
"Martial Uncle Fu said that black giant that manifested was the Heavenly Demon True Body, right?"
"Who's Martial Uncle Fu?"
"He's the cultivator who ultimately annihilated the Heavenly Demon True Body. Martial Uncle Fu is one of the Profound Pill Sect's Great Cultivators in the Golden Core Stage. That fire-breathing Magic Treasure he wielded is none other than the renowned Nine Dragons Divine Fire Canopy."
"I see."
"But what exactly is the Heavenly Demon True Body?"
"I have no idea."
"I don't know," Han Yi replied.
Amidst the lingering fear, the surrounding cultivators couldn't help but speculate.
From their discussions, Han Yi confirmed his suspicions: the Golden Core Stage Great Cultivator who had stood aloft and annihilated the colossal black giant was indeed the Talisman cultivator he had expected.
The three-meter-tall black giant formed from condensed demonic energy was the Heavenly Demon True Body itself.
However, no one seemed to fully understand the true nature of the Heavenly Demon True Body.
They could only leave it at that.
They waited for what felt like an eternity—at least two or three agonizing hours.
Finally, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator from Vermilion Bird Peak emerged to announce that the Outer Peaks were secure. The formation's central nodes had been activated to their maximum capacity, and everyone could return.
Having regained some composure, the cultivators dispersed from Vermilion Bird Peak, making their way back to their respective Outer Peaks.
By the time Han Yi reached Little Spirit Void Peak, peace had been restored. Apart from a few collapsed courtyards, there were no lingering signs of the battle.
Outside the peak, the sea of clouds shimmered with ethereal beauty, occasionally illuminated by bursts of Spirit Light.
This spectacle indicated that the Outer Peak's formations had been pushed to their limits. With the Peak Lord stationed at the central command hub, even if another Heavenly Demon True Body were to attack, they could withstand it briefly, long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
This wasn't limited to Little Spirit Void Peak alone.
From that day forward, the Formation Arts on over a hundred Outer Peaks were activated to their maximum capacity, creating a palpable sense of impending war.
This tense atmosphere weighed heavily on Han Yi's mind for the next few days.
On the seventh day, while venturing out to Vermilion Bird Peak to gather information, he unexpectedly encountered Chu Jinmo, whom he hadn't seen in over a year.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Chu! Well done on reaching the seventh layer of Qi Refining! You've finally bid farewell to the Outer Peaks and can now reside permanently on an Inner Peak."
Han Yi was genuinely happy for Chu Jinmo, though a tinge of envy colored his words. If he himself reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining, he could safely retreat to an Inner Peak.
Each of the nine Inner Peaks was typically overseen by a Golden Core Stage Great Cultivator. Even those guarded by Foundation Establishment experts boasted formidable defenses. Moreover, the interconnected Formation Arts of the nine peaks formed an unbreakable fortress. Unless multiple Golden Core Stage enemies launched a coordinated assault—a scenario that had never occurred in the Profound Pill Sect's millennia-long history—the Inner Peaks remained impervious.
In short, the Inner Peaks were impregnable bastions.
Chu Jinmo still wore her gray Outer Sect robe rather than the Inner Sect attire. However, her unstable aura, now far stronger than before, betrayed her recent breakthrough. The signs were unmistakable.
When Chu Jinmo saw Han Yi, a gentle smile bloomed on her face. "Junior Brother Han, what brings you here? I heard from Junior Sister Yan that you were in seclusion."
Han Yi shrugged, forcing a wry smile. "What seclusion? Little Spirit Void Peak was attacked. I'm in no mood for that."
He spoke the truth.
He had originally planned to seclude himself to focus on mastering the Spirit Void Finger, aiming to reach the next level, which he estimated would take about three months.
But before he could begin, the Heavenly Demon invasion occurred.
He was grateful he hadn't been in seclusion at the time; if he had been, the situation would have been far more perilous.
The incident left Han Yi shaken.
His plan for seclusion had been predicated on the safety and stability of Little Spirit Void Peak, but that foundation had now been shattered.
In the days since, he had felt restless, seeking to uncover the full truth of the battle.
"Oh, right, I forgot you lived on Little Spirit Void Peak. I'm glad you're safe," Chu Jinmo said, her brow furrowing slightly before she continued. "I happen to know more about what happened there than what's publicly known."
"There's more to this than meets the eye."
"Still, Junior Brother Han, rest assured. Martial Uncle Qi told me that the Sect's Great Cultivators have thoroughly investigated the area and activated the Great Sect Formation across the entire mountain range. We shouldn't have any more Heavenly Demon incidents."
"However..." Chu Jinmo paused, then added, "The Sect might issue mobilization orders soon. Junior Brother Han, you should prepare accordingly."