Chapter 319: Xie Luo (3)

Chapter 319: Chapter 318: Xie Luo (3)

“Someone has entered this area.”

Ku Ming opened both eyes.

“Someone?”

“Not someone who belongs here.”

Lin Yuan rose slowly.

“The spatial laws have been disturbed. Whatever is approaching has forced its way through a connected pocket rather than traveling through the normal route.”

Ku Ming’s expression became serious.

“That should not be easy. The spatial layers in this region are complicated, and even a cultivator who understands spatial laws would need considerable effort to find a stable route.”

He paused.

“Unless the intruder has a special spatial bloodline or has already established coordinates within the realm.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

“That is likely.”

Bai Qingyue stood beside him.

“Could it be one of the Demon Kings?”

Lin Yuan’s gaze grew colder.

“It could be.”

He had no reason to assume that the demons would remain quiet after the deaths of Mo Du, Yuan Kong, and Qian Yan. Their deaths had dealt a significant blow to the forces beyond the Nine Heavens Ward, but the Hollow Beyond contained far more than three powerful enemies.

The demons had already demonstrated their willingness to cross the fractured boundary.

If they had discovered a way to locate him, it was only a matter of time before they came looking.

Lin Yuan did not intend to flee simply because an enemy had arrived.

However, he also had no intention of allowing the intruder to approach Bai Qingyue without understanding the situation.

He turned toward Ku Ming.

“Master Ku, can you determine how many people have entered the region?”

Ku Ming closed his eyes and released his spiritual sense.

Golden Buddhist runes appeared across his skin, and a faint golden halo spread around his body. The Indestructible Karmic Wheel behind his Primordial Spirit began to rotate, allowing him to perceive fluctuations in the surrounding laws.

Several breaths later, he opened his eyes.

“At least one.”

He frowned.

“The spatial disturbance is unusual. I can sense traces of several connected coordinates, but they are moving independently.”

Lin Yuan considered this.

“Then there may be more than one intruder.”

Bai Qingyue’s expression became thoughtful.

“If they came through a spatial passage, could they have used the same method to enter other regions?”

“Most likely,” Lin Yuan replied.

His eyes remained fixed on the eastern horizon.

“If they possess a technique that allows them to lock onto connected spatial pockets, they could divide their forces and search the Sacred Grounds simultaneously.”

Ku Ming’s expression changed.

“That would be troublesome. The Sacred Grounds contain many cultivators who have entered in pursuit of opportunities. If several Demon Kings appear in different regions, the consequences could be severe.”

Lin Yuan did not immediately respond.

His attention was focused on the faint disturbance within the laws.

The intruder was approaching.

And judging by the way the spatial fluctuations changed, the person had not yet realized that his arrival had already been detected.

A faint smile appeared on Lin Yuan’s face.

“Let him come.”

Bai Qingyue looked at him.

“Yuan, do not underestimate the enemy. If he is a Demon King, he may possess abilities that we have not encountered before.”

“I know.”

Lin Yuan reached for her hand and gently squeezed it.

“That is precisely why I intend to meet him here. This region is suitable for cultivation, but it is also a good place to test the changes brought by my Dao Fruit.”

He looked toward the distant mountains.

“Besides, if the intruder truly came here to find us, allowing him to leave would only invite more trouble.”

Ku Ming rose to his feet.

“Then I shall accompany you.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

“Thank you, Master Ku.”

He turned toward Bai Qingyue.

“You should remain behind me during the initial exchange. If the enemy possesses a technique that targets the soul or distorts space, do not attempt to confront it without understanding its principles first.”

Bai Qingyue gave him a displeased look.

“You say that as though I intend to stand aside and watch.”

“I know you do not.”

Lin Yuan’s tone softened.

“But you are pregnant. And your foundation is still improving. I would rather you conserve your strength until we know what we are dealing with.”

Bai Qingyue was silent for a moment.

Then she nodded.

“Very well. But if the situation becomes dangerous, I will not remain idle.”

Lin Yuan smiled.

“I would never expect you to.”

The three of them moved away from the stream and toward a broad stretch of open ground between the ancient trees.

The area was relatively flat, with several large stones scattered across its surface. The surrounding mountains formed a natural barrier, and the dense spiritual Qi created a faint mist that drifted between the trees.

It was an ideal place to fight without immediately damaging the nearby cultivation grounds.

Lin Yuan stopped at the center of the clearing.

He did not release his aura.

He simply stood with his hands behind his back, his dark robes moving gently in the breeze.

Bai Qingyue remained several paces behind him, while Ku Ming positioned himself to the side. The monk’s golden eyes were fixed on the eastern horizon, and the Sanskrit runes on his skin had begun to glow faintly.

The intruder was close.

Very close.

Then the space between two ancient trees rippled.

A thin line appeared in the air, followed by another.

The lines intersected, forming a narrow opening that gradually widened into a dark passage.

A figure stepped through.

He appeared to be a young man with dark green hair and pale skin. His clothes were simple, consisting of a black robe with dark green patterns along the sleeves. His face was narrow, and his eyes were cold and sharp.

At first glance, he looked like an ordinary cultivator.

But the moment he emerged from the passage, the spiritual Qi around him recoiled.

His aura was dense and oppressive, carrying the strange fluctuations of the Hollow Beyond.

Xie Luo took one step forward.

Then he stopped.

His gaze fell upon the three figures waiting in the clearing.

For a brief moment, he did not move.

He had expected to find Lin Yuan alone, or perhaps with Bai Qingyue. He had not expected to encounter a red-skinned monk whose golden eyes carried such a profound karmic aura.

Nevertheless, Xie Luo recognized the man standing at the center of the clearing almost immediately.

The dark robes, the deep purple eyes, the calm expression.

There was no doubt.

Lin Yuan.

Xie Luo’s lips curled upward.

He had found his target.

A wave of satisfaction rose within his heart, and his first instinct was to notify his siblings.

His right hand moved slightly, preparing to send a spatial transmission through the coordinates he had established earlier.

Then he paused.

Something was wrong.

The moment he focused his attention on Lin Yuan, he noticed that the surrounding laws were not reacting to his presence in the way he expected.

The spiritual Qi here was not merely abundant.

It was exceptionally pure.

The laws governing space, energy, and the circulation of the world were stable enough that he could feel the full extent of his cultivation without the subtle restrictions he had experienced in other regions of the Sacred Grounds.

His spatial energy flowed freely.

His demonic foundation remained stable.

Even the faint suppression he had felt upon entering the realm had disappeared.

Xie Luo’s eyes widened slightly.

“What is this place?”

Lin Yuan looked at him without answering.

The Demon King’s expression gradually changed.

He had expected the ancient realm to be troublesome, but he had not anticipated that one of its regions would allow him to exercise his strength so freely.

In the Hollow Beyond, his spatial techniques were supported by the harsh laws of that world. Every movement, every distortion, and every spatial lock was reinforced by the environment.

When he crossed into the Nine Provinces, he had felt the difference immediately. The laws were less suited to his nature, and certain techniques required additional energy to achieve the same results.

Yet here, he felt almost as comfortable as he did in his homeland.

No.

In some respects, it was even better.

The ancient laws were more stable than those of many regions within the Hollow Beyond.

The discovery made Xie Luo’s heart race.

If he could claim control over such a place, the benefits would be enormous.

But before he could explore that possibility, he needed to deal with Lin Yuan.

His eyes narrowed.

“You must be Lin Yuan.”