However, I currently feel none of the joy or excitement one would feel upon finding a treasure. Naturally, I wouldn't just leave such a rare and valuable find behind. I carefully gathered all the jewelry scattered on the stone dais, picked up the helmet that had fallen beside it, and even stripped the armor from the skeletal remains.

Don't fault me for lacking loyalty; such treasures would draw covetous eyes even if worn by the living, let alone on the deceased Kaga.

But one must maintain some decency. Since I'm taking his possessions, I might as well collect his bones and bury him properly—a form of recompense for what I've taken, perhaps.

I composed suitable justifications for myself while smugly stowing the jewelry into my pack. However, the spatial pouch on the back of Kaga's armor immediately caught my attention.

Perhaps Kaga had stored the Destiny Warrior's Blade in his own spatial pouch after killing him.

The thought spurred me to hastily open that pouch.

Soon, a small mountain of miscellaneous items was piled onto the stone dais. Yet, after searching through everything, I failed to find any swords or bladed weapons. Most of the contents consisted of health potions and healing elixirs, along with numerous items I couldn't even identify, and a few notebooks. This left me somewhat disappointed. Out of necessity, I collected everything, stuffed it back into his original spatial pouch, and then tucked that pouch into mine.

Once everything was tidied, I gathered the skeletal remains of Kaga, the Blood Fury Demon, and placed them into a large, blown-out brick bed near the wall, carefully burying them. Afterward, I used the Dragon Shadow Sword to carve a line of text onto the wall: The remains of Kaga, the Blood Fury Demon, are interred here. Signed, the novice scholar, Xing Chen! After writing this, I felt such a marker seemed unfitting for Kaga, once a celebrated hero who dominated the world.

He may have killed countless people, but he was also a fearsome demon lord whose name echoed through the ages, making people blanch. But for such an utterly ruthless figure, perhaps something more should be left behind. Having inexplicably arrived in this world, I harbor a strange reverence for the heavens; death does not mean the end of everything. At least, that is what I believe. Who is to say I won't encounter Kaga again in some extraordinary form? Since I'm already doing a good deed, I might as well inscribe something more fitting for him.

My thoughts raced, and a decision was instantly made! The Dragon Shadow Sword moved like the wind, and in a few swift strokes, wild, cursive characters were etched onto the wall:

Drunkenly drinking the blood from the necks of foes, Laughing proudly over the Myfar Plains, I alone reign supreme. The Crimson Sword is stained with the tears of heroes, What matters if my enemies number three thousand?

After this was done, I finally let out a long, satisfied sigh! While perhaps a touch arrogant, this poem was certainly fitting for the life and deeds of the Blood Fury Demon. I don't know how to judge Kaga's actions in life, but in my view, everyone has their own way of living and their own code. Perhaps Kaga lived his entire life immersed in hatred and slaughter, but that was his choice. For a man who died over eighty years ago to still be the peerless demon lord whose name strikes fear into the hearts of the Myfar Rangers today—Kaga certainly did not live in vain. At least he left behind a terrifying reputation, which might have been exactly what the Blood Fury Demon Kaga sought throughout his entire existence.

"Now, we are even," I muttered to myself with a self-mocking tone. Then, I packed up my belongings, not forgetting to collect the remains of Yun Ju. I used Corpse Dissolving Powder to cremate him, planning to return his ashes to the Yun family once I left the Sanctuary Space—that seemed the most proper arrangement. Furthermore, I cremated Nalan Qiushui, Nalan Canghai, and Hong Tian in the same manner and carefully stored their remnants. Perhaps I would return them to their families later. As for the spatial pouches they left behind, I naturally accepted them without hesitation, considering it my payment for handling their funerals. They might have held grudges against me in life, but I wouldn't dwell on it now; they were dead.

However, I believe my greatest haul from this encounter was the memory set from Luo Zhen. I hadn't expected them to pull a maneuver like that.

In terms of strategy and cunning, our joint operation with the Yun family and the Vermillion Bird Alliance was a complete failure. But in terms of luck, perhaps we were marginally better off. Although I desperately wanted to examine this memory set and see what good things it held, time was short, and I couldn't afford to waste any more of it.

Once everything was secured, I cautiously ventured deeper into the Sanctuary Space, my objective naturally being the Destiny Blade.

In the state of the Eye of Death Desire, not the slightest rustle of wind or movement within a hundred meters could escape my senses.

I continued deeper into the underground palace, carefully passing through another stone door. It was almost identical to the platform where I had discovered the Blood Fury Demon Sword. In the center of the hall stood a stone dais, flanked on both sides by two massive stone pillars, each carved with two vivid, serpent-like deities. In the very center of the dais, alone and sheathed, was a long, black saber. The surroundings were utterly empty.

As I drew closer, a powerful surge of energy instantly washed over me. Unlike the violently destructive aura of the Blood Fury Demon Sword, I felt an irresistible, righteous power emanating from that black saber—a vast, noble righteousness capable of sweeping away all impurities and cleansing the heart! It was as if what rested there was not a blade, but an isolated Celestial War God from an ancient era, radiating majesty and stability that spontaneously evoked a desire to bow down and worship.

"The Destiny Blade," I exclaimed with overwhelming joy. I hadn't expected to find it so smoothly. Although I had never seen what the Destiny Blade of the Myfar world actually looked like, the sword set upon the dais was nearly identical to the Destiny Blade I remembered from Legend, confirming my thoughts immediately.

I couldn't believe it had been this easy! I suppressed the excitement churning in my chest, carefully scanned the surroundings to ensure nothing was amiss, and then cautiously approached the dais.

Evidently, this sheathed long saber had been forcefully driven into the stone platform with tremendous strength. Yet, it didn't take much effort for me to draw out the sheathed blade. I fought the impulse to immediately draw the sword and inspect it. I was well aware that both the Blood Fury Demon Sword and the Destiny Blade contained a peculiar sword or saber energy; if one's cultivation was insufficient, no one could predict what would happen upon forcibly drawing it.

Feeling the cool hilt, I carefully examined the Destiny Blade. The ancient scabbard looked no different from others on the continent, but the sheer weight and the surrounding special energy fluctuations immediately alerted me to its extraordinariness. Clearly, this scabbard possessed some special sealing effect, much like the one that contained the Blood Fury Demon Sword, capable of locking away the dense, unique energy fluctuations of the Destiny Blade. Even so, it couldn't completely suppress the blade's aura. It was hard to imagine the spectacle that would unfold once the Destiny Blade was unsheathed.

My heart raced; I could almost visualize the earth-shattering life-and-death battle that must have taken place here long ago.

But my composure returned quickly. The Destiny Blade was found, but what about the Destiny Warrior? Why was there no corpse? Uncle Lu’s greatest wish, besides retrieving the Destiny Blade and destroying the Blood Fury Demon Sword, was to find the Destiny Warrior's body.

Now that the Destiny Blade was recovered, but the Warrior’s body was absent—what did this mean? I stored the Destiny Blade in my spatial pouch and continued cautiously deeper into the palace.

Not long after, the deep, heavy panting sounds of several creatures reached my ears. Ah! Blood Zombies. The familiar breathing rhythm and robust life signs immediately alerted me, and there seemed to be more than one. I pinpointed their location—about two hundred meters ahead.

Suddenly, my head began to ache. Why hadn't these Blood Zombies appeared when we seized the Blood Fury Demon Sword earlier?

Carefully creeping forward, I finally saw at least five or six Blood Zombies clustered together, chasing and playfully interacting, their terrifying shrieks echoing throughout the underground palace, making my scalp crawl. Along the way, I hadn't missed any potentially suspicious area; clearly, to proceed further, I had to move forward.

Behind them was a colossal stone door. Even from this distance, I could make out four large, ancient characters carved above the lintel—Life and Death Purgatory!

Life and Death Purgatory—what kind of place was that? Could the Destiny Warrior’s body be inside? Though I desperately wanted to investigate!

However, even a single one of those six Blood Zombies was enough to give me a massive headache, let alone a whole nest of them.

Helplessly, I crouched low, desperately seeking an effective strategy. What struck me as odd was why Feng Yuanming and his group encountered Blood Zombies when they first entered the palace, yet now, after we took the Blood Fury Demon Sword, they hadn't appeared. If those six Blood Zombies had been present then, even with Luo Xiao and Nalan Qiushui's supreme skill, success would have been impossible.

Moreover, the Destiny Blade was just sitting there on the outer dais, seemingly waiting to be taken. Only the Destiny Warrior’s corpse was missing.

I had a nagging feeling that something was deeply strange, but I couldn't quite place what was wrong!

Analyzing the prior situation, it seemed the Blood Zombies were guarding something. We once thought they were guarding the Blood Fury Demon Sword, but now that seemed incorrect.

What lay behind that great door beyond the Blood Zombies? This sparked intense curiosity. This was clearly the second checkpoint guarded by the Blood Zombies.

Were there other secrets within the Sanctuary Space that we were unaware of?

It was a shame I was alone. If I had more people, we could have used a diversion tactic to lure them away and slip inside. But in this situation, I had absolutely no way forward.

Uncle Lu, I am sorry. It's not that I didn't try my hardest, but I truly can't do it. I hope Uncle Lu can understand me.

With that thought, I quietly retreated and pulled out a Scroll of Dungeon Escape.

Demon Dragon Continent, Ancestral Cloud City!

"I didn't expect this operation to go so smoothly," the Demon Cultivator exclaimed excitedly.

"Hahahaha, now we have a good show to watch," Demon Yi replied, his face grim, though a lecherous, evil grin spread across his face as he looked toward the breathtaking beauty of Yun Shang beside him.

"How despicable," Yun Shang fumed, her eyes blazing, but she was powerless to act, being nothing but a frail woman with no strength to fight.

"Despicable? Hahaha, tonight you will taste what true despicableness is, hahaha," not only Demon Yi but Demon Cultivator also burst into repulsive, wild laughter.

"........." Yun Shang's face turned ashen with fear, but she couldn't utter a word.

"You two shut up!" Demon Yin snapped impatiently. "No one touches her without my permission."

"Ah!" Demon Yi and Demon Cultivator both showed expressions of bitter disappointment, staring at Yun Shang with undisguised lust.

"We already have victory in hand, what is there to worry about?" Demon Yi said with a strained smile, unable to mask his inner resentment.

"Hmph, you two have such little ambition," Demon Ling remarked, looking at them as if they were made of mud that wouldn't harden.

"Who told her to be so stunningly beautiful," Demon Cultivator said with that evil grin directed at Yun Shang.

"Exactly, she's simply top-tier," Demon Yi heartily agreed.

"Stop it! You two bastards, you're getting worse!" Demon Ling unceremoniously hurled two fireballs at Demon Cultivator and Demon Yi, causing them to yelp and cry out as they struggled to extinguish the flames. Their comical misery almost made one burst into laughter.

"The Elder is back," soon a core disciple hurried into the main hall.

Moments later, Demon Yin's tall, thin figure entered the hall.

"What is the situation?" Demon Ling asked anxiously.

"The main force suffered heavy losses; less than eight thousand people managed to escape the illusion realm," Demon Yin reported excitedly.

"Did those old fogeys Nalan Qiushui and Hong Tian make it out?" Demon Ling asked.

"They were all killed by Luo Jiang," Demon Yin continued. "But Jian Li and the Yun family people didn't suffer much loss."

"Jian Li and the others are alive," Demon Ling noted. "What about Xing Chen?"

"That brat is probably dead," Demon Yin let out a sigh that carried a hint of relief. "Even if he isn't dead, he won't leave the Sanctuary Space alive, because the exit has been sealed off."

"Hahahaha, the Demon Devouring Body is finally gone!" All the core members of the Brotherhood cheered in excitement.

"Honestly, I'd rather face an possessed Luo Jiang than deal with that damned monster again," Demon Yin said, still shaken. "No matter how strong Luo Jiang is, he wouldn't walk away unscathed if hit by lightning."

"Indeed," Demon Ling said with deep emotion, unable to help recalling the scene on the tenth layer of the illusion realm, where he intercepted the combined lightning magic unleashed by over ten thousand mages floating in the air. To be honest, if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Demon Ling couldn't have imagined such a terrifying monster existing in this world. Although they knew of the existence of the Demon Devouring Body from ancient records, Demon Ling could never have imagined that it could actually be immune to all magic. Such a person transcended her comprehension—a horrifying monster inherently designed to destroy mages.

"If a monster like that appeared on the battlefield, our Demon Sealing Mage Legion would be in serious trouble," Demon Ling murmured.

"It's a good thing he won't appear again," Demon Yin understood Demon Ling's worry perfectly. "Let's just hope no more monsters like him show up after this kid dies."

"Let's hope so," Demon Ling felt no real ease. Her intuition told her it was far too early to relax. They had conducted extensive investigations on the Xing Chen Brotherhood.

The conclusion was that this brat not only possessed an unbelievable Demon Devouring Body but also incredible luck. There was even a saying circulating in the Ranger World:

That kid was practically the illegitimate son of the Myfar Goddess and the lover of the Goddess of Luck. Anything could happen around him; escaping imminent doom and turning peril into safety was routine for him. Anyone who underestimated him would pay a heavy price. Most representative of this was the Luo family; the White Tiger Alliance's Luo family was practically half-destroyed by his hand alone.

"Don't celebrate too soon," Yun Shang interjected. "Bing He didn't die that easily. One day he will reappear, and then you will all be utterly finished."

"Shut up," Yun Shang's words only deepened Demon Ling's underlying anxiety, but she refused to let it show.

"I truly don't understand. After all your scheming, all you managed to get was the Blood Fury Demon Sword. What exactly were you aiming for?" Yun Shang asked with disdain, unable to suppress the question burning in her mind.

"Heh, thinking you'll get nothing?" Demon Ling said darkly. "You'll know soon enough. What we gain will be the entire Demon Dragon Continent, perhaps even the entire Myfar Continent."

"..............." Yun Shang stared blankly.

"The Demon Dragon Continent is severely weakened; the three major guilds are almost completely wiped out, and the remaining Yun family can't stir up much trouble," Demon Yin and the others completely ignored Yun Shang and continued, "Once we infiltrate the Bijie Continent, we will use the Union of Heaven and Earth to transport the possessed Luo Jiang there. Then the entire Bijie Continent will be thrown into chaos by him, followed by Cang Yue."

"What? What are you trying to do?" Yun Shang's face drastically changed as she grasped something. "Are you planning to use Luo Jiang to destabilize the entire Holy Word Alliance?"

"Hahahaha, it seems you aren't entirely foolish," Demon Ling said proudly. "Imagine the entire Ranger World of the Holy Word Alliance being thrown into chaos by the possessed Luo Jiang. Then, if we just send a single army to invade the homeland of the Demon Dragon Empire or the Bijie Empire—how could the Royal Army, concentrated entirely on Misbi Island, resist? When they issue conscription orders to the Ranger World, they'll find the entire realm is already a mess, unable to organize conventional armies of sufficient size. By then, they'll just have to wait for their cities to be conquered."

"You! All of you!" At this moment, Yun Shang finally witnessed the terrifying side of the Brotherhood.