"The inner and outer halls are connected through the celestial barrier? Then this place may not be just part of the inner hall’s barrier, but linked to the entire celestial array of Seven-Kill Hall." Qin Sang speculated.

Although he could see the shadow of the Sky Tower, he dared not move recklessly from where he stood.

The surroundings were filled not only with dangerous radiance but also with chaotic elemental qi. Qin Sang suspected that if he stepped beyond the jade corridor, he would instantly turn to ash.

The ancient teleportation array should be here, but where exactly? If I can locate its position and find the path back, there might be no need to seek out Senior Qingzhu. Qin Sang thought.

Back on the eighth level of the Sky Tower, the devilish soul had clearly held the upper hand. Senior Qingzhu had not dared to reveal even the slightest secret and could not leave any message behind.

Ning Wuhui had only refined an External Spiritual Infant. Could he truly help Senior Qingzhu defeat the devilish soul? Qin Sang doubted it.

If there was a way to help Senior Qingzhu recover, Qin Sang would gladly assist. After all, the killing symbol he cultivated had originated from Senior Qingzhu’s own comprehension. It was, in essence, his legacy.

Forging a good relationship with Senior Qingzhu would benefit him in every way and bring no harm. If they could return to Small Cold Domain together, that would be even better.

But if Senior Qingzhu failed and the devilish soul broke free, he himself might face disaster. Everything depended on what kind of backup plan Senior Qingzhu had left behind.

Qin Sang glanced around but saw no other jade corridors. Suddenly, Ning Wuhui called softly and began walking deeper along the jade corridor. Qin Sang dismissed his thoughts and hurried after him.

***

Deep within Dark Valley, a group of powerful demons was moving through rugged mountains and valleys. Each demon king displayed their unique means to ward off the fierce toxins.

When they first entered the Dark Valley through the mountain pass, they had found themselves in an endless wasteland. Following the Jiao King’s spiritual sense, they had ventured onward, and the terrain gradually changed until they reached the deep mountains.

Upon the back of a burly man covered in thick shell armor appeared the phantom of a Black Tortoise. It resembled a miniature world in itself. The phantom floated as if half submerged in water, stretching its long neck skyward, inhaling and exhaling in rhythmic motion. Each breath released a peculiar aura.

The aura flowed out from the tortoise shell as streams of water that merged into a barrier surrounding them, shielding them from the poisonous mists. Yet faint traces of black qi seeped into the watery glow.

Two demon kings who had only recently recovered from severe injuries stayed close beside the armored demon, borrowing the protection of the water shield to heal faster.

The Jiao King appeared far more at ease. His entire body glimmered with golden light, as though cast from pure metal. The edge of the radiance sizzled with a strange hiss as the poison burned away, unable to approach him.

The Nine Phoenix Monarch followed beside the Jiao King, bits of golden light sprinkling onto her as well.

The armored demon formed a hand seal, and the Black Tortoise’s breathing quickened. The barrier thickened slightly. He grumbled in a deep, rumbling tone. "The direction we’re heading in should be leading out of Dark Valley, right? Strange, the farther we go, the stronger the poison gets."

"There’s little information about Dark Valley to be found. But it seems you’re still holding up well, Brother Hei. No need to worry. Even the fiercest poison has its limits. I can sense it. We’re getting closer to the True Dragon’s remains," the Jiao King replied calmly.

The Jiao King tightened his grip on the dragon bone in his hand, his voice tinged with excitement.

The greatest danger within the Dark Valley lay in the colorless, scentless toxins. Yet compared to the perils beyond the mountains, this was far less severe. All of them were powerful Transformation Realm demons. Even when they encountered hostile ferocious beasts, they dispatched them swiftly without further loss of manpower. After a brief discussion, the demon kings decided to pick up their pace.

The Jiao King and the Nine Phoenix Monarch took the lead, while the armored demon guarded the rear. They darted through the mountains, crossing countless ridges, until suddenly a colossal peak appeared before them. It was so tall it seemed to pierce the heavens.

The Jiao King halted abruptly, staring at the massive mountain with a complex expression. "This mountain!"

The armored man froze as well. Since entering Seven-Kill Hall, both inner and outer halls alike were filled with lofty peaks reaching up to the celestial barrier, their summits surrounded by radiant clouds. Yet never had they seen a mountain of such imposing grandeur.

A realization struck the armored man. "Could this be the legendary Yitian Peak? If I recall correctly, there’s a strange region near it called the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. Rumor has it that the place is extremely perilous, so much that human cultivators avoid it at all costs. Don’t tell me the dragon’s remains are there?"

The Jiao King gave a bitter smile. "You guessed right, Brother Hei. My secret technique indicates the location is near Yitian Peak."

The demon kings exchanged wary looks. The cultivators had occupied Seven-Kill Hall for countless years. Many prodigies and grandmasters at the late stage of the Spiritual Infant Realm had explored it, yet even they held deep fear toward Yitian Peak and the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. There had to be a reason.

The demons knew far less about Yitian Peak than the human cultivators did. To enter recklessly might bring unforeseen calamity.

"After all the hardships we’ve endured, how could we turn back now? The barriers that baffle human cultivators might not be insurmountable to us. Humans can only enter through the front gate, but we have the Nine Phoenix Monarch and the True Heavenly Phoenix Feather to guide us. That alone proves we can take a different path. If this truly is the dragon’s burial ground, Yitian Peak might even be the cave dwelling of one of our demon ancestors..." The Jiao King’s tone grew firm, and before his words had even faded, his figure flashed forward toward Yitian Peak.

The demon kings silently followed. None of them could stomach the thought of retreating now.

Yitian Peak loomed closer and closer. The demon kings concealed their auras and moved cautiously, lest they alert any cultivators nearby.

"No wonder it’s called Yitian Peak[1]. Even the Witch God Mountain, said to be the highest in Canglang Sea, pales before it."

One of the demon kings sighed in awe. He had once infiltrated the Witch God Continent to glimpse the Witch God Mountain, but this sight dwarfed even that. Yitian Peak towered like a pillar propping up the sky.

Mist veiled their sight, but even without seeing its entirety, they could sense an overwhelming aura unlike any other mountain. They could not help but feel their own insignificance.

Ancient halls and celestial pavilions dotted the slopes, hidden among the layered forests. Yet Dark Valley was utterly lifeless, its vegetation long since turned to stone. Yitian Peak was likely no exception.

After traveling a while longer, the Jiao King suddenly halted atop a ridge, raising his hand sharply.

"There’s something strange ahead," said the Jiao King.

The demon kings gathered beside him, faintly sensing a peculiar fluctuation in the void ahead, something they had never encountered before.

"The Spirit-Suppressing Domain," the armored man said decisively, "There's no mistake. Yitian Peak lies at its center. One more step forward, and we’ll be inside the domain itself. I didn’t expect it to cover such a vast area!"

Before them stretched several more mountain ranges and a field of jagged stone forests separating them from Yitian Peak.

Up close, they saw that Yitian Peak was not a steep, narrow spire but a broad, towering massif, like a colossal wall cutting off their path and sight.

Unexpectedly, both the Spirit-Suppressing Domain and Yitian Peak appeared tranquil. Apart from faint, inexplicable barrier fluctuations, there was no visible danger.

"The Spirit-Suppressing Domain... I want to see what could make human cultivators so fearful," the Jiao King said.

The Jiao King observed for a moment but found nothing unusual. With a cold snort, he summoned his golden light, which condensed into armor over his body. Holding his dragon spear, he was about to stride forward when the Nine Phoenix Monarch stopped him.

1. Yitian also translates to "leaning on the sky", or "near the sky". ☜