Chapter 378: A Sudden Encounter

BANG!

Chi Yi crashed heavily onto the ground, a dazed look on its face. It blinked its large, cat-like eyes at the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat in its master's arms, suddenly feeling wronged.

Just then, a pair of small hands reached down. It was Xin, who had quietly snuck over. She scooped up Chi Yi, hugging it tightly as if it were a priceless treasure and repeatedly kneading its head.

Chi Yi felt its face being rubbed raw.

Shen Daoxing walked up to the group and said coolly, "Let's go. It's dangerous to stay here."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

They then followed Shen Daoxing out of the grand hall.

As if it had a mind of its own, the Celestial Demon City began to shift the moment Shen Daoxing and the others stepped out of the hall. "GRIND! GRIND!" The surrounding walls and floor slowly moved, revealing a long corridor and automatically creating a path to the exit.

They passed through the long corridor and past one palace hall after another. Their path forward was unimpeded, and they easily walked out of the subterranean Celestial Demon City, re-emerging on Demon Mountain.

But after they emerged from underground...

RUMBLE!

The earth quaked and the mountains shook once more. The group felt the ground beneath their feet rapidly sinking. In just a moment, the towering Demon Mountain had vanished, hidden away underground.

They now stood on a flat expanse of reddish earth.

Shen Daoxing looked back at the vanished Demon Mountain, a question suddenly forming in his mind. 'Why did that Mola acknowledge me as its master?'

He couldn't help but ask Elder Blood Dragon this question in his mind.

But the Blood Dragon didn't answer. Instead, it said slowly, "Kid, that's not important. You'll understand when the time comes. Your priority right now is to increase your strength. With enough power, not only the Celestial Demons but all the war criminals from the Ancient Celestial Court imprisoned in the Venerable Domain will submit to you. You will be the master of them all."

"Heh heh heh... I can already feel those fellows inside getting restless. I'm afraid my power won't be able to suppress them for much longer, especially those troublesome ones on the upper layers. Heh heh heh... If they break out and you're not strong enough to control the entire Venerable Domain, you'll just become their puppet. They'll control you, and you'll wish for a death that will never come."

Shen Daoxing couldn't help but ask, "Then how can I control the entire Venerable Domain?"

The Blood Dragon's voice echoed slowly in his mind. "Ascend to the highest level of the Venerable Domain. But for now, you've only unlocked the bottom two."

Shen Daoxing paused, then asked, "And how do I unlock the next one?"

The Blood Dragon's voice drifted back slowly. "Your current strength is insufficient!"

Shen Daoxing was speechless.

Silently, Shen Daoxing looked up at the distant sky. 'That's right! I have to get stronger, quickly. My current strength isn't enough.'

He recalled his recent battle with Elder Taiyin. He hadn't stood a chance. He was simply too weak, his power far from sufficient.

To an outsider, Shen Daoxing was only seventeen or eighteen, yet he possessed the strength to rival someone at the Ninth Layer of the Earth Profound Realm. He was a monster among monsters, unparalleled in the entire history of the East Continent. But to Shen Daoxing himself, it still wasn't enough.

With that, Shen Daoxing no longer hesitated and led the group out of the Red Land Demon Realm.

But just as they took their first steps...

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

A sound like rock grinding against earth rang out.

The group felt the land beneath their feet begin to move on its own. The surrounding scenery blurred, streaking past them so fast it became a series of straight lines as they were carried forward.

In just a few moments, the view before Shen Daoxing and the others opened up, revealing a lush, green mountain forest. It was the scenery of the Jiuli Mountain Range—the very campsite where they had rested before.

And there, lying undisturbed on the carts, was the cargo they had left behind.

They had returned to where they started.

Seeing this, Qian Gui was overjoyed. He quickly waved his hand, directing his fellow Merchants to go forward and take charge of the cargo.

This shipment was worth a fortune to him. If it had been lost in the Jiuli Mountain Range, he would have had to risk seventy or eighty more trips through the mountains just to earn back the cost.

Chu Guifeng, Ma Wan, Tao Ying, and the others looked at one another, their faces also filled with delight. The trip into the Red Land Demon Realm had been perilous, but thanks to Shen Daoxing, they had all returned unscathed.

While the others rejoiced, Qian Gui counted the carts, confirming none were missing. He was already at the front, urging everyone on. "Let's go! Let's go! We've already wasted too much time!"

But just as the group was about to set off again...

A faint light glowed from the direction of the Red Land Demon Realm. Four figures transformed into long streaks of light, streaking toward them and landing abruptly before the group. Each one looked terrified and shaken, as if they had just encountered something horrifying.

It was Zhou Chen, Lv Yunsheng, and their companions, who had just fled Demon Mountain in a panic.

The two groups collided unexpectedly. They stared at each other, wide-eyed, and the scene fell silent.

"Brother! Senior Sister Wan'Er!" Tao Ying's face lit up with joy as she spotted someone. She hurried forward, looking excitedly at Tao Sheng and Dongfang Wan'Er.

Tao Ying and Dongfang Wan'Er seemed to know each other well.

"Yingying, do you have any idea what a grave offense it is for someone of your status to leave the Celestial Profound Sacred Land without permission?"

Dongfang Wan'Er's voice was indifferent and cold, but her eyes couldn't hide her concern.

Like a little girl being scolded by an elder, Tao Ying lowered her head. "I know," she said, aggrieved. "But if I didn't do something, my brother would have completely turned into a Demonic Puppet, and his only fate would be to be executed."

As she spoke, Tao Ying looked toward Tao Sheng. It turned out she had done all this for her brother.

"Hm? Wait!"

At that moment, Dongfang Wan'Er noticed something. She lifted Tao Ying's hands to examine them, then reached out and removed the veil from her face. Suddenly, a true young beauty appeared before her.

Dongfang Wan'Er said in disbelief, "Yingying! Your curse... it's been removed?"

Tao Ying immediately nodded in excitement. "That's right! It's all thanks to—"

She stopped abruptly, realizing something, and clamped her mouth shut.

And just then, Zhou Chen—the Saint Heir of the Celestial Profound Sacred Land and a Direct Disciple of the Canglan Mountain Master—spotted Shen Daoxing in the crowd.

SHING!

A clear ring of a blade being unsheathed.

Without any perceptible movement from Zhou Chen, the deep-hued Treasure Sword at his waist had already flown from its scabbard and into his hand, its tip pointed forward.

"Shen Daoxing! You damn Celestial Slaughter Star! You killed disciples of my Sacred Land and insulted its dignity! I've finally found you. Don't even think about running this time!"

Zhou Chen's icy voice rang out.