The golden light of the morning sun began to penetrate the thin clouds on the eastern horizon, illuminating the mountain peaks and stirring life into the Luo nation. Dew still hung on the tips of the leaves, and the cool mountain air prickled the skin like a greeting from the heavens.
In the front courtyard of the Qinlin Sect, two young figures stood side by side. Lu Xian, dressed in the blue and yellow attire that symbolized his rank as a middle-ranking disciple in the sect, carried a leather bag containing provisions and basic travel tools. Beside him, Qin Chang'er, dressed in white and blue attire with a few accessories, signifying her status as a core disciple of the sect. Her hair was neatly tied back, and in her hand was a scroll of maps.
They both appeared calm, but the tension on their faces could not be hidden. The journey to the Demon Estuary was no ordinary one. It was where the oldest demonic energy from the ancient war era still flowed, a place where lives could be lost in a single breath.
However, from a distance, a pair of sharp eyes watched them from behind a tall pine tree at the back of the courtyard. Su Baijun, dressed in a core disciple's attire embroidered with a black sword, stood silently in the shadows. His gaze was sharp, cunning, and dangerous.
"Just keep going, Lu Xian," Su Baijun murmured with a faint smile. "Your every step... I'll be watching you."
---
The journey began as the sun began to rise. Lu Xian and Qin Chang'er's footsteps led along a rocky path towards the east, passing through scrubland, dense forests, and a small, clear lake.
The wind carried the scent of wet earth and wildflowers. To their left and right towered towering, hundred-year-old trees. Spiritual birds fluttered overhead, and the leaves whispered softly.
"The cool air... I hope we can arrive safely," Lu Xian said, catching his breath, trying to hide the fatigue that was beginning to set in.
"Don't worry," Qin Chang'er replied with a light smile. "As long as we don't cause trouble on the way, no one will bother us."
To speed up their journey, they leaped from tree branch to branch, utilizing the lightness of their bodies and the fundamentals of qinggong. The wind brushed against their faces as they soared through the air, a feeling of freedom they rarely felt within the sect.
"Is it still far to the demon estuary?" Lu Xian asked as they paused on a large branch to catch their breath.
Qin Chang'er unrolled the map in her hand. "About… 80 kilometers left. We have to get out of this forest before sunset."
---
By midday, they had reached the edge of the forest. But before they could go any further, two cultivators dressed in unfamiliar attire blocked them in a gap in the rocky path.
One of them, a white-haired man with a thin face, stepped forward. On his chest hung a small, silver skull-shaped badge.
"Halt! You have entered our sect's territory," he said coldly. His name was Xue Ling, a member of the Kongque Sect, and he didn't seem the type to negotiate.
Lu Xian stood in front of Qin Chang'er, gripping his sword.
"So what if we trespass?" he asked in a calm but sharp tone.
Xue Ling narrowed his eyes. "This is forbidden territory for outsiders. Anyone who trespasses without permission… will die."
"Let us pass… or you will die!" Lu Xian's voice deepened, and a faint demonic aura began to envelop his body.
The other cultivator, Xue Ling's companion, took a half step back. He stared at Lu Xian in fear. "Xue Ling... look at his aura. There's a wisp of demonic energy within his body. He's no ordinary person..."
Xue Ling, who had been arrogant, hesitated. Lu Xian's gaze was as cold as a moonless night.
After a few seconds of tension, Xue Ling finally backed away. "...Fine. Leave. But don't cause any trouble."
Lu Xian said nothing. He simply stared at them for a moment and then continued on his way. Qin Chang'er followed closely behind.
However, a few minutes later, Su Baijun also arrived at the same spot.
"Who are you? This is our territory!" one of the guards snapped.
Without a word, Su Baijun released his Core Formation cultivation aura. The ground beneath his feet cracked, the air trembled, and the guards' bodies trembled violently.
In the blink of an eye, the two guards lay lifeless, their throats torn by the sheer pressure of the aura.
Su Baijun stood among the corpses with a blank expression. "Weak," he muttered. "Not worthy to be my obstacle."
Meanwhile, Lu Xian and Qin Chang'er's journey was nearing its end. The sky was changing colors, the sun shifting westward, signaling the arrival of afternoon. Their breathing was heavy, sweat beading on their foreheads.
However, they stopped when they saw a large beast lying on the side of the road, its body covered in wounds. The creature had turquoise fur and large, silver-patterned wings.
"A spirit beast..." Lu Xian muttered. "It looks badly injured."
Qin Chang'er immediately approached. "We have to help it. If we leave it alone, a cultivator might kill it to absorb its essence."
She opened her medicine pouch and took out a Mid-Rank Spirit Healing Pill, stuffing it into the beast's mouth. A few seconds later, the creature's breathing began to calm, and the wound on its chest slowly closed with a faint green glow.
The beast opened its eyes, stared at them for a moment, then bowed deeply.
"It's asking us to climb onto its back," Qin Chang'er said in surprise.
Lu Xian smiled. "Azure Wing Eagles... I've read about them in the sect's library. They're rare beasts... and only bow to those with pure hearts."
They climbed onto the back of the great eagle, which then flapped its wings and soared through the evening sky.
A strong wind buffeted their faces, and from the sky, they saw the Demon Estuary—a vast body of water dyed crimson with swirls of purple mist, a demonic aura surging from the cracks in the earth like the breath of an ancient demon.
It was... a terrifying place, and it would be no easy challenge.