The Eastern Region was vast, and countless forests stretched across the territories separating its various provinces. These forests were not merely collections of ordinary trees and vegetation, but natural habitats for countless yao beasts, many of which had lived there for generations, while others had migrated from deeper regions where spiritual energy was considerably denser. Some forests even contained ancient yao beasts whose strength rivalled that of human cultivators, making them dangerous places for anyone who lacked sufficient strength.
At that moment, Lin Yan was speeding through one such forest, her figure occasionally disappearing among the dense canopy as she maintained her aura at the lowest possible level. She dared not leave behind any obvious trace of her presence, nor could she afford to allow the cultivators pursuing her to discover her exact location. The earlier battle had already pushed her to her limits, and although she had managed to escape the surrounding Purple Palace cultivators, she knew that the danger was far from over.
After several hours of continuous flight, she finally descended towards a seemingly ordinary cave hidden beneath an enormous cliff. The cave entrance was partially concealed by hanging vines and overgrown vegetation, making it difficult to notice unless someone deliberately searched the area. Lin Yan quickly took out a formation plate and placed it at the entrance, pouring a strand of spiritual Qi into it. A faint ripple spread across the surrounding space, and the cave entrance gradually disappeared beneath an illusion, making the cliff appear completely undisturbed.
She didn't stop there. After entering the cave, Lin Yan took out several more formation plates and arranged them around the interior, establishing defensive restrictions and concealing the spiritual fluctuations within. Only after confirming that the formations had been properly activated did she finally allow herself to relax.
Pfft!
A mouthful of thick black blood suddenly escaped her lips.
Lin Yan's body trembled as she hurriedly wiped away the blood, her face becoming considerably paler. The oppressive aura she had displayed when facing the surrounding cultivators was now completely gone, replaced by an unsettling weakness that made her seem like someone who could barely maintain her cultivation.
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
What she had done earlier was far beyond what an ordinary Purple Palace cultivator should have been capable of performing.
It wasn't unusual for cultivators with powerful backgrounds to come into contact with Divine Abilities before reaching the Golden Core Realm. The purpose was to familiarise themselves with the principles behind such abilities, allowing them to begin their comprehension long before attempting to form their Golden Core. However, even the most monstrous geniuses could barely activate the Pseudo state of a Divine Ability before reaching Golden Core, and even that required considerable preparation.
What Lin Yan had unleashed was different.
She had activated the Phoenix Cry Divine Ability directly in its full state, without relying on any prior preparation or an external treasure to support its manifestation.
It was one of the most valuable inheritances she had obtained from the Heaven Seal Gate Secret Realm, along with several incomplete inheritances that she had yet to properly investigate.
Lin Yan's expression became complicated.
She had already decided upon the five Divine Abilities she intended to comprehend after reaching the Golden Core Realm. Apart from a Sword Dao Divine Ability inherited from her master and the Phoenix Cry she had obtained from the Heaven Seal Gate, she had also gained the qualifications to cultivate another Divine Ability of the Wood attribute.
Her choices were closely connected to her spiritual roots.
She possessed enhanced Wood and Fire Spiritual Roots, and although either one was already valuable, her greatest secret was something she had never revealed to anyone.
Not even her master.
She had awakened a juvenile Spiritual Body that combined the characteristics of both her Wood and Fire Spiritual Roots, a rare constitution that had begun manifesting shortly after her spiritual roots underwent their transformation.
The name of this constitution was the Withered Phoenix Spiritual Body.
According to the ancient records she had encountered, cultivators who awakened a Spiritual Body corresponding to the attributes of their spiritual roots possessed an extraordinary advantage in cultivation. Their compatibility with spiritual energy could surpass that of ordinary cultivators by an enormous margin, and some possessed the potential to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, provided they survived long enough to develop their constitution fully.
Lin Yan had understood the implications immediately.
If news of her Spiritual Body were to spread, the consequences would be disastrous. The Lin family might not even have the strength to protect her, and even those who were currently friendly towards the family could begin harbouring different intentions. As for their enemies, they would certainly prefer to eliminate her before she had the opportunity to mature.
A future Nascent Soul True Monarch was not someone every faction would willingly allow to grow beneath their noses.
That was why she had concealed the matter from everyone.
Fortunately, the Withered Phoenix Spiritual Body had played an enormous role in allowing her to survive the consequences of activating the Phoenix Cry Divine Ability. It possessed an astonishing reserve of spiritual energy, far greater than what her current cultivation could ordinarily contain, and when the Divine Ability erupted, that reserve had prevented her from immediately exhausting herself and falling unconscious.
Nevertheless, the consequences had not disappeared.
Her spiritual energy had been severely depleted, her internal organs were suffering from the strain, and the backlash had left her aura considerably weaker. Even with the protection of her Spiritual Body, she had paid a heavy price.
Lin Yan took out several medicinal bottles.
She didn't bother swallowing the pills one at a time. Instead, she crushed their seals and tipped the contents directly into her mouth, allowing the medicinal power to dissolve as she circulated her cultivation technique. The pills were primarily Wood-attribute resources, specially prepared to stimulate vitality and accelerate the recovery of her spiritual energy.
A gentle green radiance gradually appeared around her body.
Her breathing slowly became steadier, and the chaotic spiritual energy within her meridians began to settle. She didn't dare waste a single moment, however, because she knew that remaining in one place for too long would only make it easier for her pursuer to find her.
She had barely recovered for thirty minutes when a sudden jolt ran through her senses.
Lin Yan's eyes snapped open.
Several of the illusion formation plates she had deliberately placed along her escape route had been destroyed.
Not all of them.
Only a few.
But that was enough.
Someone was following her.
Her expression immediately became solemn as she examined the formation plates through their faint spiritual connections. The speed at which they were being discovered and destroyed was frightening, and judging from the distance between the formations, the pursuer was moving with extraordinary precision.
This wasn't someone she could afford to confront in her current condition.
Lin Yan immediately stood up, suppressed the discomfort in her organs, and rushed towards the cave entrance. The moment she passed through the illusion formation, she increased her speed and sprinted southwards, keeping her aura concealed as much as possible.
She didn't dare use flight immediately.
Although flying was considerably faster, the fluctuations produced by a cultivator moving through the air were easier to detect, especially when the pursuer possessed a powerful spiritual sense.
A few miles later, she suddenly sensed another disturbance.
The formation plate she had left near the cave had been discovered.
Her expression changed.
He found it!
Lin Yan no longer hesitated.
Her spiritual energy erupted, and her body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, transforming into a streak of light that tore through the forest canopy.
However, almost immediately, an enormous crimson-purple radiance erupted behind her.
BOOOOM!
The air twisted violently as something moved through the sky at an astonishing speed. The surrounding spiritual energy was swept aside, producing a succession of thunderous explosions that reverberated across the forest.
Lin Yan's pupils contracted.
It was faster than her.
Much faster.
She turned her head, and what she saw made her heart sink.
A streak of blood-red light was rapidly approaching, countless golden strands of energy twisting around its surface like living threads. The pressure carried by that aura was unmistakable.
Golden Core!
A demonic cultivator at the Golden Core Realm!
Lin Yan's mind raced.
Why would such a powerful cultivator pursue her? She had merely explored an ancient cave tomb with two juniors, and although the inheritance inside had been valuable, it shouldn't have been enough to attract a Golden Core expert.
But she wasn't foolish.
She already knew the answer.
Her Withered Phoenix Spiritual Body had been exposed.
Before she could think of anything else, a voice like thunder rolled across the sky.
"A truly awakened Spiritual Body! Don't run, little girl. You should suit me quite nicely as nourishment for my cultivation!"
Lin Yan's entire body jolted.
Her worst suspicion had been confirmed.
The demonic cultivator wasn't interested in the inheritance she had obtained, he wanted her Spiritual Body.
She immediately reached into her storage ring and retrieved a talisman, pouring the last remaining strands of spiritual energy in her body into it.
WENG!
A blinding light erupted.
The surrounding space trembled as the talisman released its power, enveloping Lin Yan in a brilliant radiance just as the crimson figure was about to catch up with her.
For an instant, the entire stretch of sky was swallowed by white light.
Then Lin Yan disappeared.
The blood-red figure abruptly slowed.
Mo Tou emerged from the crimson radiance, his expression turning slightly ugly as he stared at the empty space before him.
He extended his spiritual sense, but the spatial fluctuations left behind by the talisman were already fading.
"A Thousand-Mile Talisman, huh?"
He narrowed his eyes before a grin slowly appeared on his face.
"You actually think you can escape me, little one?"
Mo Tou wasn't particularly worried.
He immediately stretched out his palm and began forming hand seals, his lips moving as he chanted an obscure incantation. A strange crimson light gathered around his fingers, while his spiritual sense spread outward, following the faint traces of spatial fluctuations left behind by the talisman.
The process lasted only a few seconds.
Then his eyes opened.
He had found her direction.
His body transformed into a streak of crimson light and shot away.
---
Meanwhile, in the outer regions of Dragon Yuan Province, a blinding flash suddenly appeared above a secluded stretch of wilderness.
A figure emerged from the light.
BOOM!
Lin Yan crashed onto the ground, rolling several times before finally coming to a stop. Her face was deathly pale, and the moment she attempted to rise, a violent churning sensation erupted through her internal organs.
"Guh!"
She spat out another mouthful of blood.
Her chest tightened as she struggled to breathe.
She had used more than one Thousand-Mile Talisman.
The first had transported her away from Mo Tou, but she knew that a Golden Core demonic cultivator would not be so easily shaken off. Therefore, she had continued activating the remaining talismans in succession, forcing herself to travel across an enormous distance until she finally reached the outer regions of Dragon Yuan Province.
The repeated spatial transportation had taken a terrible toll on her already weakened body.
Even with her Withered Phoenix Spiritual Body, she had pushed herself beyond her limits.
At present, she couldn't even stand properly, much less continue flying.
Lin Yan gritted her teeth.
She needed help.
Fortunately, she had prepared for emergencies.
With considerable difficulty, she reached into her storage ring and retrieved a small jade token. It was a communication jade that could transmit a distress signal to someone familiar with its spiritual imprint.
She infused it with the last trace of spiritual energy she could gather.
Crack!
The jade shattered between her fingers.
Its fragments scattered into the wind, but before they could touch the ground, they dissolved into faint specks of light and disappeared.
Lin Yan finally released a breath.
She didn't know how long it would take for the message to reach its recipient, but at least she had managed to send it.
After resting for a few moments, she forced herself to move.
There was a cultivator market several miles away, and if she could reach it, she might be able to find somewhere to hide or contact someone who could help her. She knew that entering a crowded market while carrying such a conspicuous aura was dangerous, but remaining in the wilderness was even worse.
She staggered forward.
Every step caused pain to shoot through her body, and her legs trembled beneath her weight. She could no longer afford to use spiritual energy to conceal herself properly, so she could only rely on her weakened physical strength to continue moving.
The market gradually came into view.
Lin Yan's eyes brightened slightly.
She was almost there.
Then her expression froze.
A familiar bloody aura had appeared behind her.
Her heart sank.
How?
How had he found her again?
She turned around slowly, her face becoming increasingly pale as a crimson radiance descended from the sky.
Mo Tou landed several metres away.
His robes fluttered gently as he looked at her, an amused smile spreading across his face.
Lin Yan immediately understood.
There was no point running.
Even if she somehow managed to move, she wouldn't be able to escape a Golden Core demonic cultivator in her current condition.
She bit her lower lip until blood appeared.
She had no strength left to fight, and the spiritual energy within her body was barely enough to keep her conscious. Her Thousand-Mile Talismans were exhausted, her medicinal pills had been consumed, and the communication jade was already broken.
She had reached the end of her strength.
Lin Yan slowly lowered herself onto one knee, panting heavily as she looked at Mo Tou.
The demonic cultivator laughed.
"Hahaha! You really thought you were clever, didn't you? A few Thousand-Mile Talismans and you believed you could escape this Monarch?"
He looked at her with undisguised greed.
"Your little tricks were rather troublesome, I'll give you that. Unfortunately, you still cannot understand the methods of a Golden Core cultivator."
Lin Yan said nothing.
Mo Tou's smile widened.
"I originally intended to kill you quickly and use your corpse for my purposes, but I've changed my mind. With a Spiritual Body as precious as yours, it would be a waste to destroy it immediately."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"I'll keep you barely alive while I slowly drain your essence. You can experience the process yourself, and perhaps then you'll understand how fortunate you are to have become the nourishment of this Monarch."
He didn't wait for her response.
Mo Tou began chanting an incantation, and the bloody aura surrounding his body immediately started rotating. The crimson energy spread across the ground like a living mist, while faint whispers emerged from the surrounding void, their strange rhythm carrying an almost hypnotic quality.
Lin Yan felt her consciousness tremble.
Her spiritual sense became sluggish, and the connection between her spirit and physical body gradually weakened. She tried to circulate her remaining spiritual energy, but her meridians seemed to have fallen under an invisible suppression.
Her knees buckled.
Thud!
She collapsed onto the ground.
Her eyes remained open, but her body no longer responded to her commands.
It's over...
Mo Tou slowly approached.
The crimson mist crept towards her, seeping into her pores and wrapping around her limbs. The moment it touched her skin, Lin Yan felt a terrifying sensation, as though invisible hands were reaching into her body and attempting to tear out her internal organs.
Her spiritual origin was being forcibly extracted.
It wasn't an ordinary method of absorbing spiritual energy.
Mo Tou was attempting to tear the very foundation of her cultivation from her body, drawing out the essence that sustained her Spiritual Body. The process was excruciating, and although she couldn't move, her consciousness remained clear enough to feel every moment of it.
Her vision began to darken.
Then—
WENG!
A strange ripple suddenly swept through the space.
It was subtle at first, almost as though the surrounding world had briefly lost its stability, but the instant it appeared, Mo Tou's instincts screamed in warning.
His expression changed.
Without thinking, he abruptly shifted his body to the side.
BOOM!
A chaotic spatial ripple swept past him, tearing through the crimson mist and striking the ground behind him. The earth split open, leaving a deep scar across the wilderness.
Mo Tou had barely evaded the attack when countless streaks of rainbow light appeared before him.
They were dazzling.
Each ray carried a different colour, yet together they formed an indescribably harmonious radiance that seemed to contain the mysteries of the Five Elements.
Mo Tou's pupils contracted.
He immediately formed a hand seal, and a crimson barrier erupted around his body.
BOOOOM!
The rainbow lights struck the barrier.
For an instant, the defensive spell trembled violently, its surface rippling beneath the impact. However, the lights didn't disperse. Instead, they passed through the crimson energy as though it were nothing more than a thin veil.
Mo Tou's expression changed drastically.
Before he could react, several streaks of rainbow light pierced through his forehead.
PCH!
His body jerked.
The lights didn't stop at his skull. They penetrated directly into his spirit, striking the Purple Palace where his Golden Core and spiritual consciousness resided.
"ARGH!"
Mo Tou spat out a mouthful of black liquid.
His body staggered backwards, his spiritual sense violently shaking as the rainbow radiance wreaked havoc within his Purple Palace. For a brief moment, the crimson energy surrounding him became chaotic, and the bloody mist that had been enveloping Lin Yan immediately weakened.
Mo Tou forced his cultivation to circulate.
His Golden Core trembled as it released waves of spiritual energy, desperately suppressing the invading power before it could cause further damage. Only after several breaths did he manage to stabilise himself, although his face had already become considerably paler.
His eyes burned with fury.
"Who dares?!"
He turned towards the source of the attack.
"Come out and face this Monarch!"
The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed something.
Lin Yan was gone.
The spot where she had been lying was empty, and even the crimson mist that had enveloped her had been swept aside.
Mo Tou's expression darkened.
He immediately swept his spiritual sense across the surroundings.
Then he saw him.
A young man stood several metres away, holding Lin Yan in one arm.
His long, dark hair fell naturally behind his shoulders, and he wore a simple short-sleeved robe. There was nothing particularly extravagant about his appearance, yet the moment Mo Tou looked into his eyes, he noticed a faint golden glint within their depths as sunlight reflected across his pupils.
The young man looked at him calmly.
He didn't seem particularly interested in Mo Tou's furious expression.
Instead, he slowly shifted Lin Yan into a more comfortable position before raising his head.
Mo Tou's face twisted.
"You..."
He hadn't even finished speaking when the young man moved.
There was no elaborate hand seal, no dazzling technique, and no obvious accumulation of spiritual energy. The man simply clenched his free hand into a fist and swung it forward.
Mo Tou's instincts screamed.
He hurriedly raised both arms, attempting to gather his crimson energy into a defensive barrier, but the fist had already arrived.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact struck him directly in the solar plexus.
A terrifying force erupted.
Mo Tou's eyes bulged as his entire body was blasted backwards, his feet leaving the ground while the crimson energy surrounding him scattered like smoke struck by a violent gale. He flew across the wilderness, smashing through several trees before crashing into the earth with a thunderous explosion.
The ground shook.
Dust and broken branches filled the air.
For several breaths, Mo Tou couldn't move.
His internal organs felt as though they had been crushed, and the spiritual energy protecting his body had nearly collapsed beneath the sheer physical force of the blow.
He struggled to lift his head.
His eyes widened as he stared at the young man standing in the distance.
"Y-You..."
The young man lowered his fist.
His expression remained indifferent.
"You're rather noisy."