The beautiful woman gazed at the treetop where Qianchong Zhenjun had vanished, whispering to herself.
"Why does the combat power he displays completely ignore the laws of heaven and earth of the lower realm? Why..."
She was somewhat lost in thought; this deviated greatly from her understanding.
The white-haired youth beside her also showed a look of confusion. The restrictions of the mortal world's laws of heaven and earth were extremely strong. Cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage needed to ascend to the upper realm.
Otherwise, breaking through to the Spirit Transformation realm required greater opportunities and a long time. Although Spirit Transformation cultivators could lie dormant, they couldn't unleash their true strength.
What they knew was that the main body of a cultivator above the Spirit Transformation realm could not sneak into the mortal world. At most, they could only send down a clone, and its strength would be severely suppressed, with the Spirit Transformation stage being the absolute limit.
Otherwise, if upper-realm cultivators could appear in the Three Realms at will, the mortal world would have been destroyed by evil cultivators countless times over.
They had heard that although there were those from the upper realm who came to the mortal world to establish sects, most of them sent down Nascent Soul cultivators.
Although it was once said that this human great power had intimidated Xiahou Shangxie and a group of Spirit Transformation cultivators into a direct retreat, for the strongest among peers to suppress their equals, while difficult, was not impossible.
In their imagination, the legendary human great power should have been a clone of some expert from the upper realm. His mastery of the laws of heaven and earth would naturally be much stronger than that of lower-realm cultivators, so it was reasonable for him to suppress cultivators of the same level.
It wasn't until they actually fought him today that they realized it wasn't as simple as suppression at all; the two sides were on completely different levels.
If that Daoist wanted to kill them, it would be as easy as them wanting to annihilate a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Although the two of them were already top-tier existences in this realm and had touched upon some of the power of the laws of heaven and earth, they ultimately did not understand the true meaning of those laws.
Qianchong Zhenjun's cultivation back then was already at the Body Integration stage. More importantly, he possessed all the five elements of power in the Heavenly Dao.
He could already use the changes of the five elements to blur the detection of the laws of heaven and earth, but he still couldn't unleash his true strength. However, it was more than enough to deal with lower-realm cultivators.
After a long while, the white-haired youth took a deep breath, then took out a Voice Transmission Talisman, whispered a few words, and sent it out...
Soon, Shanggong Changge, her graceful figure wrapped in a palace gown, arrived in a hurry.
Half an hour later, Shanggong Changge flew away from the rear mountain of the "Sacred Demon Palace" with a thoughtful expression on her face.
'The two Supreme Elders summoned me alone. Why did they ask me to repeat Zhao Min's origins again? Could there be some problem with Zhao Min?'
She had thought of Dongli Qing earlier, but her expression was extremely well-controlled and she hadn't shown it. At this moment, her heart became a little heavy...
Deep in the dense forest, the white-haired youth stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the dense canopy above, silent for a long time.
The beautiful woman on the other side sighed softly.
"Senior Brother, there is no longer any doubt about this matter. When Shanggong Changge brought back Zhao Min, it should have been when that human great power's sect was ambushed and killed by others.
Then, Zhao Min's junior brother was seriously injured. In the end, after Changge used this as a condition to treat the other party, Zhao Min entered the palace, while that Zhang Ming entered the 'Falling Star Valley.'
Afterward, Zhang Ming found Zhao Min again through some method. This time, it was clearly Zhao Min who was unwilling to become Dao Yu's Dao Companion, which is why she planned to leave the 'Sacred Demon Palace' immediately, thus attracting such an old monster!"
A thick unwillingness flashed in the beautiful woman's eyes. Zhao Min was supposed to be the future guardian of the "Sacred Demon Palace," and now she was lost.
At the same time, her tone carried dissatisfaction with her Senior Brother for designating Zhao Min as Dao Yu's Dao Companion.
Zhao Min had been in the secret realm for over forty years. The moment she came out, she went to see Zhang Ming, which showed that the two had been in contact for a long time.
Then why hadn't she planned to leave before? It was undoubtedly because she was extremely dissatisfied with her Senior Brother's designation of her Dao Companion and was powerless to resist, which was why she chose this path.
The white-haired youth was still looking up at the sky, watching the few rays of light filtering through the dense leaves. He had, of course, heard the dissatisfaction in his junior sister's tone.
"Since it has come to this, it can only be so. Even if I didn't designate Dao Yu as her Dao Companion, according to what that old monster said before, since he has returned, he will definitely want to find his disciples!"
The white-haired youth then withdrew his gaze and looked at the beautiful woman, then continued.
"With the appearance of such an old monster, let alone us, even if we gathered all the cultivators on the entire Forsaken Continent, I think we would be powerless to resist. Zhao Min's departure was only a matter of time. This was just a premature trigger.
Let's put this matter aside for now. I know you are unwilling, but what can be done?
Also, regarding the matter of the human cultivators, we have also looked after them according to the agreement for so long. I don't believe he doesn't know about the changes here.
This time he said it again, not to really make us continue to look after the humans according to the original agreement.
After all, he himself once said, 'however far you can go, is how far you go.' There are no eternal agreements in the world.
The meaning in his words is actually already very clear. He is telling us not to touch that second-rate little sect called 'Falling Star Valley.'
I can put my word here: even if a first-rate human sect is annihilated, he will not appear again.
But if something happens to that 'Falling Star Valley,' even if it wasn't us who acted out of anger, the blame will ultimately fall on our heads.
So, this time, not only can we not eradicate 'Falling Star Valley,' but we must also secretly send people to look after it, to ensure that nothing happens to it and that it is not suppressed.
After all, our duty is to protect the 'Sacred Demon Palace,' and the grand formation here was also personally arranged by that human great power. If he wants to annihilate the 'Sacred Demon Palace,' it would be as easy as turning his hand.
Hehehe... Truly pathetic. The primitive Demon Clan was once so powerful, yet in the end, it fell apart and had to live by borrowing the grace of others..."
As the white-haired youth spoke, his voice became almost inaudible.
His thoughts had already flown to the Immortal Spirit Realm. He was thinking, if one day he ascended, he would definitely see what the status of the Demon Clan was now, and where that human great power's sect was.
The moment Qianchong Zhenjun flew away from the "Sacred Demon Palace," he called out Li Yan and returned the "Earthen Patch" to him.
"I'll give you half an hour. Then go to the south gate. I'll be waiting for you there! By the way, don't let that senior sister of yours out for now!"
With that, his figure silently vanished from before Li Yan's eyes.
Li Yan stood at the foot of the main mountain in "Sacred Demon City," looked back at the towering mountain, and a feeling of having died and been reborn spontaneously arose.
This time, if not for a series of coincidences, although he might not have died, he would have definitely been trapped in the "Earthen Patch."
If he and Zhao Min could never break through, they could only grow old and die within it.
Even if the two Supreme Elders of the "Sacred Demon Palace" had a chance to open the "Earthen Patch," he would still be a dead man.
Li Yan knew that it was temporarily safe for him to appear in "Sacred Demon City" like this. Qianchong Zhenjun had already told him everything that had just happened.
After his Martial Uncle warned the two Supreme Elders, he had also averted a great disaster for "Falling Star Valley."
He naturally also understood Qianchong Zhenjun's instruction not to let Zhao Min out.
After all, they were still in "Sacred Demon City." If Zhao Min were to appear, besides provoking the two Supreme Elders of the White Demon Clan, it would bring no benefits.
Li Yan soon arrived at the shop opened by "Falling Star Valley" in the city. He silently flew into the backyard and sensed Su Yuan's aura behind, in the midst of cultivation. After streamlining the many affairs of the shop, Su Yuan had long since focused most of his thoughts on the path of cultivation.
The other deacon in the shop now was no longer Xie Tongyi, and he valued Su Yuan's opinion quite highly.
After several decades, deacon after deacon had rotated through, but only Su Yuan had remained firmly here. Now, fewer and fewer deacons wanted to force Su Yuan out.
When Li Yan knocked on Su Yuan's door, and Su Yuan recognized his voice, he immediately opened it. He had a look of surprise, not understanding why Elder Zhang had come in person.
Li Yan impolitely stepped into the room and, after looking around, nodded in satisfaction.
The furnishings in the room were extremely simple: a prayer mat for cultivation and a wooden shelf for storing pills.
There were no luxurious or valuable items. With Su Yuan's current wealth, it would be no problem for him to live a life of extreme comfort.
Li Yan didn't sit down but immediately took out a jade slip and two jade bottles.
"Later, you will use the teleportation array to send this jade slip and this yellow jade bottle back to Senior Brother Xinghe.
After you're done, you don't need to report back to me. I have important matters to attend to and will be away for some time.
Also, the remaining white jade bottle contains a pill for you. Your current wealth is no longer lacking in cultivation resources. What you lack is arduous cultivation and polishing.
This bottle contains a poison pill. In the future, if you face a life-threatening situation, you can throw it directly. Within a fifty-zhang radius, even an initial-stage Golden Core cultivator caught off guard might perish."
When Su Yuan heard the first part of Li Yan's instructions, he naturally accepted them respectfully. He was completely obedient to this Elder Zhang.
The other party not only never interfered with the shop's business but also secretly protected it.
But when he heard the second part of Li Yan's words, he was somewhat stunned. Elder Zhang had actually given him a poison pill.
Every few years, a rotating deacon from the sect would come here, and they would often talk about things happening in the sect.
After so many years, no one had ever said that Zhang Ming would give any treasures to others. This person basically never showed his face in the sect; he was either in seclusion or in "Sacred Demon City."
Su Yuan had personally witnessed the entire process of Zhang Ming's battle with the three Golden Core cultivators of the "Ghost Flood Dragon Clan."
He naturally knew the power of the poison pills Zhang Ming had produced. The other party had absolutely not exaggerated in the slightest. The poison pill in this bottle must be extremely precious.
Looking at the items in his hand, even with Su Yuan's smooth character, he was at a loss for a moment.
The last time the other party had given him a life-saving "Blood-Amber Pill," he understood it was because he had served him diligently for so many years.
And this time, he was given a precious pill again. He could clearly feel that Elder Zhang had no ulterior motives. Su Yuan's eyes turned a little red.
"Elder Zhang, what virtue or ability do I have to deserve such kindness from you, old sir..."
Li Yan, however, waved his hand.
"Alright, I have other things to do. That's all!"
Li Yan did not linger. Before Su Yuan could say anything more, he had already drifted away, coming and going without a trace, like a fleeting glimpse of a swan.
Su Yuan looked at Li Yan's rapidly fading back, then at the jade bottle in his hand. For some reason, he had a feeling that he would find it hard to see Elder Zhang again in the future.
Then, he repeatedly spat "Pah, pah, pah..." at himself several times before feeling much more at ease.
His thoughts were definitely too absurd.
Immediately, Su Yuan cast a hand seal at a wall in the room. The small teleportation array connecting to the sect was located in his secret chamber.
Only in this way could he be completely at ease.
Of course, he didn't know that the jade slip contained a message from Li Yan for Lin Xinghe, also telling him that he would be leaving the sect for a while to travel the world.
At the same time, he asked Lin Xinghe to give the pills in the yellow jade bottle to Shuang Wuyan herself.