The cultivators hurried along, finally passing through the vast jungle without major incident, exiting the Demon Realm via the entrance passage and returning to the Demon Sea.
The heavy stone that had been pressing on everyone’s chests was finally lifted.
The pressure of staying in the Demon Realm had been immense; no one knew when they might encounter a Demon Saint and lose their lives. Upon returning to the Demon Sea, this worry vanished, as no demon cultivator capable of threatening their lives remained here. Demon Saints rarely left the spiritually abundant Demon Realm to appear in the sparse Demon Sea.
The Saint Sovereign found a safe, secluded valley near the Demon Realm entrance and stopped, settling into meditation to recover his magical power.
Ye Qin, along with the Old Monster Henshan, the Ghost Master, and other cultivators, also found their own spots to meditate and restore their severely depleted mana.
After catching his breath, Ye Qin still felt lingering dread.
The escape from the Demon Realm had been almost continuous. Over these past few days, the Demon Realm had been in an uproar, and the number of patrolling demon cultivators had greatly increased. Near the entrance, the cultivators had waited several days until the patrols eased before finding the opportunity to slip through the passage.
Ye Qin naturally knew that the Demon Realm’s primary concern this time was likely searching for the sacred artifact of the Twilight Temple—the Gray Egg. He wondered where the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint and the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox Demon Saint had gone.
Although this trip to the Demon Realm carried enormous risks, it was certainly not in vain. He had obtained a Vermillion Fruit, highly effective for advancing cultivation, and the Blood-Devouring Ancient Demon Vine, useful for wood-elemental spells. Furthermore, he had uncovered traces of that mysterious Gray Egg of the Purple Mansion and even witnessed the Twilight Temple itself.
Half an hour later, as the cultivators gradually recovered, their gazes turned toward the Saint Sovereign.
The Saint Sovereign swept his eyes over the group and said lightly, “Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass. Every Daoist friend here shall receive one stalk. This herb has an excellent effect in stabilizing the soul, allowing a sliver of memory and consciousness to be retained during reincarnation.”
After distributing the Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass, the Saint Sovereign suddenly changed the subject. “Now that we have obtained the spiritual herbs from the Demon Realm expedition, what are everyone’s plans? Junior Brother Ye is still shallow in cultivation and will most likely remain in the East Sea Cultivation World to continue his training. However, Ghost Master and Daoist Henshan, you, I, and the others are all nearing the end of our lifespans. Now that the Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass is in hand, where do the two Daoist friends intend to go next?”
Without waiting for the Ghost Master and Old Monster Henshan to reply, the Saint Sovereign added, “My remaining time is short; I plan to travel to the West Nether Continent to seek reincarnation and rebirth in the Styx River!”
The Saint Sovereign had long held this intention, so his declaration caused no surprise among the others.
However, even though they had known the Saint Sovereign’s plan, facing the moment itself made the Ghost Master and Old Monster Henshan hesitate, their expressions becoming strangely conflicted. After all, reincarnation was something confined to legends, somewhat ethereal and unproven; they had never witnessed it firsthand. Traveling to the inscrutable West Nether Continent was even more perilous, and despite possessing the crucial Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass, making a decision was difficult.
Ye Qin had no intention of leaving the East Sea Cultivation World yet, so it was naturally inappropriate for him to speak much. He sat in silent meditation, his gaze seemingly casual as he swept over the Saint Sovereign, Old Monster Henshan, and the Ghost Master, appearing lost in thought.
“Daoist Henshan, what is your intention?” the Saint Sovereign asked Old Monster Henshan.
“My lifespan is also running short, and I haven’t even prepared a few magical artifacts for surviving the Tribulation of Apotheosis. I have no confidence in passing it. Rather than failing the tribulation and meeting utter destruction, I might as well gamble on reincarnation in the West Nether and re-cultivate the Immortal Dao. Old Monster Henshan and I will journey to the West Nether Continent together!” Old Monster Henshan hesitated for a moment, then finally made up his mind, letting out a hearty laugh.
The Ghost Master remained silent for a long time, then shook his head. His voice, dry and raspy, finally emerged, “This Master has been preparing for the tribulation on Desolate Spirit Ghost Island for several hundred years and is unwilling to let all that effort go to waste now. Moreover, there is a contingent of subordinates on Ghost Island whom I have yet to properly settle. This Ghost Master plans to return to Desolate Spirit Island in the Blood Sea to prepare for the tribulation. If preparations prove unsuccessful, only then will I consider traveling to the West Nether Continent!”
“The difficulty for Ghost Cultivators to survive the Tribulation of Apotheosis is several times higher than for ordinary cultivators. Failure means complete annihilation, with no chance of survival. Daoist Ghost Master, rather than risking the tribulation, it would be better to travel directly with this Emperor to the West Nether Continent and seek the chance to reincarnate and re-cultivate the Immortal Dao! Cultivating immortality through reincarnation is, in any case, far superior to the Ghost Dao.” The Saint Sovereign couldn’t help but advise upon hearing this.
“The path of immortal cultivation is nothing more than striving for that slim thread of life against Heaven, Earth, and Man. This Master has cultivated for nearly a thousand years, enduring indescribable hardships. Even reincarnation and re-cultivating the Immortal Dao is fraught with variables and may not proceed smoothly; I might even fall and end up re-cultivating the Ghost Dao. Rather than that, it’s better to take one more gamble and see if I can break through to the Apotheosis stage! If the tribulation proves utterly hopeless, it won't be too late to go to the West Nether Continent. I appreciate the Saint Sovereign’s kind intentions, but my mind is made up; there is no need to persuade me further.” The Ghost Master’s spectral eyes glowed dimly, his tone slow yet resolute.
Ye Qin’s brow twitched briefly, but his expression quickly returned to normal as he became even more silent.
“Forget it; since your mind is set, this Emperor will press no further!” Seeing he could not persuade the Ghost Master, the Saint Sovereign stopped speaking, though a hint of regret lingered in his expression. After all, the Ghost Master possessed formidable strength, and being a Ghost Cultivator, his chances of successful reincarnation would have increased significantly had he accompanied them to the West Nether Continent.
The Lotus Flower Clone had remained silent the entire time. As a clone of the Saint Sovereign, its lifespan was identical to his; the day the Saint Sovereign’s life ended would be the day it died. Therefore, it would naturally accompany him to the West Nether Continent.
The five cultivators in their party took to their flying swords and sped rapidly from the Demon Sea, heading toward the Blood Sea. Having left the Demon Realm, they no longer needed to be cautious; even flying on swords, no demon cultivator could stop them. The Demon Sea lay in the east, while the West Nether Continent was the extreme west; they had to pass through the Blood Sea en route. Naturally, the group of cultivators traveled together for this portion of the journey.
One month later.
The five cultivators arrived at the Blood Sea and paused in a certain sea region.
Seeing they had reached the Blood Sea, Ye Qin bid farewell to the Saint Sovereign and the others.
“Junior Brother Ye, I must ask you to look after the descendants of the Yin Clan in the East Sea. If this Emperor successfully reincarnates and re-cultivates, I don’t know how much memory I will retain. This Emperor has many enemies, and I may need your help again.” the Saint Sovereign said.
“This junior has received the Saint Sovereign’s care for a long time. Since you gifted me the Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass, I will naturally look after the Yin Clan. Should we meet again in the East Sea with the Saint Sovereign reborn, I shall certainly repay this kindness today!” Ye Qin smiled and cupped his hands in salute.
After their farewells, Ye Qin sped away on his sword, vanishing into the horizon.
The Ghost Master also took his leave from the Saint Sovereign and Old Monster Henshan shortly after.
The Saint Sovereign, Old Monster Henshan, and the Lotus Flower Clone continued westward. The Ghost Master paused in the sky, gazing in the direction where Ye Qin had disappeared. A cold, dark light flickered in his spectral eyes, and he transformed into a surge of ghostly energy, shooting suddenly toward Ye Qin’s previous location before vanishing.
This small team, arguably comprising the peak strength of the Nascent Soul cultivators in the East Sea Cultivation World, finally dispersed after securing the Violet Spirit Resurrection Grass.
Ye Qin’s expression was so grim it seemed water could drip from it. He urged his sword to maximum speed while flying over the Blood Sea surface. The Ghost Master’s refusal to accompany the Saint Sovereign to the West Nether Continent and his decision to remain in the Blood Sea to face the Tribulation of Apotheosis made Ye Qin keenly aware of the underlying danger. He shared no camaraderie with the Ghost Master whatsoever. Now, his priority was to escape as far away as possible.
Driven by his frantic sword energy, the sea surface beneath him churned, creating a massive wake stretching several thousand zhang long.
After flying for only a brief period, Ye Qin spotted a team of Golden Core cultivators in the distance—about twenty individuals—looking extremely disheveled, their morale low. Many were clearly wounded, and they were hurrying along as if late for an urgent appointment. This was the height of the war between Immortals and Demons, with large numbers of East Sea cultivators being conscripted to various immortal city war zones in the Blood Sea. Encountering East Sea cultivators on the Blood Sea surface was common.
A thought suddenly struck Ye Qin, and he abruptly altered direction, steering his sword toward this group of Golden Core cultivators.
The Golden Core team, sensing an alarming spiritual pressure rapidly closing in on them at full speed, clearly grew alarmed and began to brandish their artifacts in preparation for a fight. However, upon clearly seeing the approaching figure, they quickly calmed down. Realizing it was a Nascent Soul Ancestor and not a demon cultivator, there was no need for excessive tension.
“Senior, may I ask what instructions you have for us?” A burly man in brocade robes, clearly the leader, who was roughly at the eighth layer of the Golden Core stage, asked respectfully, signaling his team to halt while his eyes held a degree of caution as he addressed Ye Qin.
Ye Qin coldly assessed the group of cultivators, interrupting the man. “Which Immortal Palace do you belong to? What mission are you executing?”
“Reporting to Senior, we belong to the subordinates of the Southeast Sect Master of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. We were originally dispatched to reinforce Black Sand City’s defenses... Unexpectedly, we encountered a horde of sea beasts midway, scattering the main force. This junior has gathered a group of retreating cultivators and intends to take a detour to Black Sand City.” The man in brocade robes was sharp and worldly; unsure of Ye Qin’s background, he feared offending this Nascent Soul Ancestor, so he only dared to state the name of the Heavenly Dao Alliance.
“Oh! Reinforcing Black Sand City, I see… But you all wear simple clothes, and your artifacts are merely common goods, not superior quality. How can such low-grade artifacts fight the Demon Race?! Don’t you have better artifacts?” Ye Qin asked calmly and courteously.
“That is because, Senior, we are all ordinary Golden Core disciples, most of us between the fifth and seventh layers. Only this junior is slightly higher, at the eighth layer. We don’t earn much Spirit Stone daily, yet expenses are high, so naturally, we don’t possess many top-tier artifacts. Furthermore, we lost quite a few artifacts when we ran into that group of sea beasts!” The man in brocade robes rubbed his nose with some embarrassment.
The lower-level cultivators in the team began to stir, exchanging glances, a bizarre thought dawning on them: could this Nascent Soul Ancestor be planning to rob them? Why else would he ask if they possessed any good artifacts? Yet, the artifacts they held were either damaged or low-grade; it was difficult to find even a few respectable, high-quality items.
“You are all pillars of our East Sea Cultivation World; you cannot afford to perish at the hands of the Demon Race due to inferior artifacts. Never mind. I have some high-grade artifacts suitable for Golden Core cultivators here, along with several Primordial Spirit artifacts. I have no further use for them, so I shall bestow them upon everyone!” Ye Qin laughed heartily, striking his waist storage pouch. Instantly, more than twenty artifacts shining brightly—flying swords, blades, and the like—flew out, a dazzling array of what could be considered fine goods, heading toward the assembled Golden Core cultivators.
These were all accumulated during his previous trials and battles against demons in the Blood Sea, items he had kept in his storage pouch with no other use. As he distributed the artifacts, he subtly used his divine sense and magical power to quickly ‘cleanse’ them, erasing the auras of their former owners and imprinting his own unique magical aura. The strength of these Golden Core cultivators would make it impossible for them to erase the traces he left behind.