Ye Yun felt that his grasp of these cultivation techniques was extremely fast, possibly due to his 'Heavenly Dao' talent, astonishing even Xue Daoguang.
According to Xue Daoguang, it would normally take a body cultivator at least a year to exhaust the energy within a general-grade demon crystal. Yet, Ye Yun had absorbed most of its energy in just over an hour.
This was the difference talent made!
Ye Yun paid no mind to techniques like 'Star Absorbing Great Method'. His main concern was whether the 'Great Nirvana Art' could bring about a qualitative improvement to his true qi. However, he soon discovered that the true essence cultivated by this technique was not as refined or pure as that of his 'Burning Heaven Art'. Its sole advantage was the ability to infuse his true qi with a bit of demonic energy, resulting in only a minor overall improvement.
"Master, it's in that valley ahead." The black ant pointed towards a large valley about ten kilometers away.
"Alright, Little Black, go scout ahead. Your appearance isn't too far off from a demon, after all. Oh, and take this with you." Ye Yun tossed his mobile phone to the black ant.
...
The black ant paused, preparing to receive the phone and act as a vanguard.
"Young friend, you've come to the demon realm. Why not come in for a chat?" A hoary voice suddenly boomed in Ye Yun's ears.
Damn it!
Ye Yun was startled, cold sweat breaking out. He frantically scanned his divine sense in all directions but found nothing.
"Young friend, there's no need to search. Your divine sense is still lacking. I am in a hollow within a giant withered willow in the valley you see. Rest assured, as fellow humans, I mean no harm. Also, leave your pet outside, lest the demons see it."
The aged voice spoke again. Were it not for the weariness Ye Yun detected in the voice, he would have turned and fled. Furthermore, only Ye Yun reacted; the black ant and Xue Daoguang remained unresponsive. This meant only he could hear this voice.
"Little Black, wait for me here. If you encounter any demons, kill them if you can, otherwise, flee. Understand?" Ye Yun gritted his teeth and said to the black ant before turning into an afterimage and charging into the valley.
Within the valley, vast tracts of farmland stretched out, planted with some unknown crops. Over a thousand human males were toiling in the fields. Ye Yun's arrival seemed expected, yet only a few glanced up before returning to their labor. The numbness in their eyes and the mechanical nature of their movements sent a tremor through Ye Yun's heart. He was reminded of the scenes he had witnessed on the streets of a city in the US. These people were so similar, yet while those in America had brought their plight upon themselves, these individuals exuded a despair that hinted at no hope from birth to death.
Guided by the aged voice, Ye Yun soon reached his destination.
A withered log, over thirty meters long and ten meters in diameter, lay horizontally in the center of the valley. Ye Yun's expression changed drastically upon seeing it, for the entire log resembled a colossal coffin! A massive longsword was plunged into the coffin lid!
Furthermore, at the tail end of the coffin, there was a gaping hole. The entrance was adorned with burnt branches and charred paper, and small mounds of earth were piled around, chilling one to the bone.
"Willow Support Sword! Isn't that the personal sword of that scoundrel Da Yan? How could it be discarded here so casually!"
"No, no, this is a suppression? Could it be that a great figure of our human race is buried within this wooden coffin! What are you doing here, kid?"
Suddenly, Xue Daoguang's voice erupted. Upon seeing the sword on the willow wood, he became agitated and astonished. Ye Yun often wondered if this fellow's heart rate would explode if he wore a fitness tracker.
Ye Yun remained silent. However, Xue Daoguang's words somewhat eased his mind. Regardless of whether the other party harbored ill intentions, the fact that he could be suppressed by the Demon Emperor implied that his strength would not be overwhelming.
The interior of the hollow was dim, and a decaying stench filled the air. The most discomforting sensation was the chilling draft that periodically blew from within.
*Bang...*
Ye Yun channeled his true essence, and a burst of flames erupted from him, illuminating the dark hollow.
About ten meters ahead, at the end of the hollow, a dark figure was suspended in mid-air, chained by four arm-thick iron chains to its limbs. The figure's entire head was obscured by thick hair and beard, making its features indistinguishable. More peculiar still was a small pool directly beneath it, into which red liquid dripped from its body.
"Heh heh, time has been kind enough to finally let me see an outsider human." The shadowy figure seemed to be looking at Ye Yun, its voice rough and weary.
"How did you know I was an outsider human?" Ye Yun asked, not committing himself.
"Heh heh, only outsiders venture here. Those outside have been tormented into walking corpses by the demons. Aside from their annual pilgrimage, they dare not even approach this place." the shadowy figure continued.
"Pilgrimage? Then, are you human or demon?" Ye Yun asked, swallowing hard.
"Human or demon? Heh, yes, after being imprisoned for over a thousand years, I am indeed unlike a human. Young friend, have you heard of Zhao Zigong Fa?" The disheveled figure chuckled self-mockingly at Ye Yun's question.
"Zigong? Are you a Daoist brother? Zhao Youqin, Junior Brother Zhao?" Hearing the other's words, Xue Daoguang's spiritual body manifested, staring in shock at the ghost-like figure.
"Golden Core spiritual body? Who are you?" Zhao Youqin tossed his long hair aside and looked at Xue Daoguang.
"I am the third generation ancestor of the Southern Sect of the Daoist school, Xue Daoguang." Xue Daoguang's gaze was intense as he looked at Zhao Youqin, his eyes burning with fury as he surveyed the willow coffin walls.
"Xue Daoguang? Senior Brother Taiyuan?" Zhao Youqin's eyes widened similarly.
What was going on? A large-scale family reunion?
Meanwhile, Ye Yun stood there dejectedly, watching the two stare at each other. His phone had no signal, and Baidu was temporarily incapacitated. So, he simply let them have their emotional reunion, and he, in turn, submerged his consciousness into the 'Heavenly Dao'.