Chapter 487 - 486-

The Sentient Spirit remained silent for several long seconds before finally answering. Its voice was eerily calm and devoid of emotion, as though it were carefully considering every possibility before speaking.

"Master, I can sense a strange existence placing its sights on us. If we attempt to leave normally, we will most definitely be attacked and killed."

Hearing its words, Grey heaved a tired sigh.

His expression remained calm, but his mind was already turning over the information the Spirit had given him. The strange gaze that had been watching them from the shadows was clearly not something he could afford to underestimate. Whatever its origin, it had remained hidden even from his perception, yet it seemed capable of detecting their movements.

However, the Sentient Spirit seemed to hesitate before continuing.

"But that should apply only to humans or other Inhuman lifeforms. If a mutated beast or a Bizarre existence attempted to leave, they would hardly encounter any force stopping them."

Its voice resounded directly within Grey’s mind.

For a moment, Grey’s brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He had not considered that possibility before. Yet the moment the Spirit mentioned it, he found the idea surprisingly plausible.

After all, the Corroded Zone primarily restricted humans and other intelligent beings from entering or leaving as they pleased. The native inhabitants of the Corroded Zone were different.

Mutated creatures and Bizarre existences could wander in and out whenever they wished.

There was seemingly nothing preventing them from escaping the cruelty of the Corroded Zone and venturing into the outside world.

Yet they rarely did so.

Most of the creatures born within the Corroded Zones seemed to possess an instinctive aversion toward the outside world. Some scholars had linked this phenomenon to the fact that Corroded Zones contained far greater concentrations of corrosive substances than the outside world. To creatures that had adapted to such environments, the outside might actually feel foreign and uncomfortable.

However, there were always exceptions.

There were occasional anomalies that emerged from Corroded Zones and ventured into the outside world without any apparent concern. Some became wandering monsters, while others disappeared into remote regions, never to be seen again.

Grey had always considered such occurrences strange.

But now, the Spirit’s words had given him another possibility.

Perhaps those creatures were not merely escaping.

Perhaps they were taking advantage of a rule.

Grey’s eyes narrowed slightly.

If the Corroded Zone truly treated its native inhabitants differently, then perhaps he could exploit that distinction.

He silently considered the matter for several moments before eventually nodding inwardly.

In the world of Pangu, there existed a multitude of Inhuman races. Their numbers had increased considerably after the descent of God and the disappearance of the Human Emperor. Countless strange bloodlines and ancient races had emerged during the chaotic period that followed, some of which possessed characteristics completely different from ordinary humans.

And if the restrictions of the Corroded Zone truly distinguished between humans and native creatures...

Then there might be a way out.

Grey’s gaze gradually became sharper.

The problem was that he could not simply transform himself into a mutated beast and walk out as though nothing had happened. Even if such a method was possible, there was no guarantee that the strange existence watching him would not see through the disguise.

More importantly, he needed to understand exactly what triggered the restriction.

Was it his physical body?

His soul?

His aura?

Or perhaps something even deeper?

If the Corroded Zone recognized a being based on its origin rather than its appearance, then disguising himself would accomplish nothing.

Grey remained silent as countless possibilities flashed through his mind.

He had survived this long precisely because he never underestimated the unknown.

If there was one thing he had learned from his experiences, it was that seemingly insignificant details could determine whether someone lived or died.

Therefore, before making any move, he needed to understand the rules.

"You’re saying that the restriction may not apply to the native creatures?"

Grey finally asked inwardly.

"That is what I believe, Master."

The Sentient Spirit paused before adding,

"I cannot guarantee it with absolute certainty. However, based on everything I have sensed within the Corroded Zone, the creatures born here appear to possess a fundamentally different relationship with the zone itself. They are not treated as intruders."

Grey’s eyes flickered.

Not treated as intruders...

That sentence lingered in his mind.

Perhaps that was the key.

He slowly turned his gaze toward the distant boundary of the Corroded Zone.

Beyond it lay the outside world.

Yet at this moment, that seemingly ordinary boundary felt like an invisible wall separating him from safety.

Grey could not see the strange existence that had been watching them.

He could not determine its strength.

He could not even determine whether it was truly hostile.

But the moment he attempted to leave normally, the Spirit had already warned him of the consequences.

He would die.

That was enough information.

Grey was not willing to gamble his life simply because he was impatient to leave.

Instead, he began pondering another question.

How could he safely venture outside the Corroded Zone without triggering an attack from the strange gaze lurking in the shadows?

He needed a method.

And preferably one that did not require him to confront the unknown existence directly.

---

Several miles away from Grey’s location, somewhere far beyond the boundaries of the Corroded Zone, three streaks of light tore through the sky at breakneck speed.

The three arcs moved rapidly across the vast expanse of heaven and earth, leaving faint traces behind them.

Yet they were not alone.

Several small black dots followed closely behind, repeatedly accelerating and diving toward the three figures.

Every few seconds, one of the black shapes would suddenly swoop down.

A sharp cry would echo through the heavens.

Then a pair of grotesque claws would tear through the air.

The three figures were none other than the old man and the two young people who had begun flying toward Grey’s location several days ago.

At this moment, their expressions were far from relaxed.

The old man’s face was pale, while the two youngsters looked even worse. Their clothes were torn in several places, and faint traces of blood could be seen across their bodies.

They occasionally turned around and launched attacks at the creatures pursuing them.

Unfortunately, their attacks achieved very little.

The black creatures were mutated vultures.

They possessed enormous wings that were more than twice the size of their bodies, allowing them to glide through the sky with frightening speed.

At first glance, they retained the basic appearance of ordinary bald vultures.

But that resemblance ended there.

Their eyes were sunken deeply into their faces, giving them a perpetually lifeless and sinister appearance. Their flesh was tinged with an unhealthy purple color, while large amounts of yellowish pus constantly dripped from the numerous holes scattered across their bodies.

Their feathers were sparse and patchy, exposing the diseased flesh underneath.

Each vulture possessed three extremely sharp claws.

Whenever they swooped down, those claws tore through the air with frightening force, forcing the three fleeing figures to desperately evade their attacks.

With every successful strike, their bodies were torn open even further.

Yet the vultures themselves suffered almost no damage.

Their hides were extraordinarily thick, reinforced by several layers of strange, claw-like scales spread across their bodies. Ordinary spells struck their flesh with a dull impact before dispersing, leaving behind little more than shallow wounds.

Even the attacks that successfully landed on them failed to slow them down for long.

Worse still, there were nearly a dozen of them.

They surrounded the three figures from different directions, attacking whenever an opening appeared.

One would dive from above.

Another would approach from behind.

A third would suddenly accelerate from the side, forcing the target to change direction.

The coordinated attacks made it extremely difficult for the three fugitives to defend themselves.

The two youngsters were clearly unable to deal with the mutated vultures on their own.

As a result, the old man was forced to divide his attention between escaping and protecting them.

"Dammit!"

The young girl cried out as another vulture suddenly descended toward her.

"Elder, why are these birds attacking us?! They suddenly appeared in the sky and started pecking at us! Moreover, our spells can hardly damage them!"

Her voice contained a trace of panic.

Just as the vulture’s claws were about to tear through her face, the old man immediately reacted.

With a wave of his hand, a powerful barrier appeared between them.

Clang!

The vulture’s claws struck the barrier, producing a sharp metallic sound.

The impact caused ripples to spread across the protective barrier.

The old man’s expression became even more solemn.

Due to the youngsters being so close to him, he could not use his truly powerful attacks.

If he unleashed his strongest techniques without restraint, the resulting shockwaves could injure them just as easily as the vultures.

He gritted his teeth before answering.

"These are Bald Dystopian Vultures."

His voice was tense but calm.

"They usually linger around Corroded Zones and attack anything that flies through their territory. Their presence means that there is a Corroded Zone nearby."

The young girl’s expression changed slightly.

"A Corroded Zone?"

"Yes."

The old man glanced backward.

Another vulture was rapidly approaching them.

"Moreover, these creatures possess annoyingly tough skin. They are extremely difficult to injure with ordinary attacks. Their bodies have naturally evolved to withstand corrosive environments, so most spells will have difficulty penetrating their hides."

The old man raised his hand.

A stream of spiritual energy shot outward and struck one of the approaching vultures directly in the chest.

Boom!

The creature was blasted backward several meters.

However, after merely shaking its enormous wings, it immediately stabilized itself and resumed its pursuit.

The old man’s expression darkened.

"They lack any particularly powerful offensive abilities and mainly rely on their claws and beaks to attack. But that does not make them harmless. Their numbers, physical strength, and persistence are enough to exhaust most cultivators."

The young man beside the girl swallowed nervously.

"Then why don’t they just leave us alone?"

The old man did not immediately answer.

His eyes remained fixed on the vultures behind them.

For several seconds, he continued flying.

Then, suddenly, his pupils contracted.

A strange realization flashed across his eyes.

He looked toward the ground beneath them before speaking in a calm but terse voice.

"Quickly."

The two youngsters turned toward him.

"Head to the ground."

"What?"

"Now!"

The old man’s voice became sharper.

"They normally attack those who linger in the air for too long."

His eyes narrowed as he watched the vultures circle above them.

"We’ve been flying for too long. Get down immediately."

The two youngsters did not dare question him any further.

They immediately altered their trajectory and began descending toward the ground.

Behind them, the flock of Bald Dystopian Vultures let out a series of shrill cries.

Their grotesque wings spread wide as they followed.

But this time, the old man noticed something peculiar.

The moment they began descending, the vultures’ movements changed.

They did not immediately dive after them.

Instead, they remained high in the sky, circling above the three figures as though waiting.

The old man’s heart sank.

For some reason, he suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

His gaze slowly swept across the distant horizon.

And for the first time since the vultures appeared, a trace of unease emerged within his eyes.