The furious voice was laced with an immeasurable, terrifying presence, as if an ancient Great Demon King, slumbering for eons, was on the verge of waking. Then, as the voice faded, the thick surrounding mist began to dissipate, the ground started to crack open, the stone walls flaked away, and a sinister yet potent aura surged up from the fractured earth.

Witnessing this, Xiao Zi and You Xiang’s eyes widened in sheer terror; the instinct for survival screamed at them to flee the place immediately.

But the violent churning of space did not cease. Xiao Zi could not deploy her Jianjian (Gap Space), and without that trump card, escaping this location was utterly impossible!

They could only watch, helpless, as the terrifying Great Demon King awakened from its slumber!

The first thing to assault their vision was a face, withered and gaunt, like a dried corpse utterly devoid of moisture, nothing but skin clinging to bone. Yet, this was not the most dreadful part; the horror resided in the eyes. They were vacant and deathly pale, utterly devoid of any semblance of emotion proper to a living being.

Even the most malevolent fiend would carry a trace of wickedness in its gaze, but this being possessed nothing. Looking into those eyes evoked an inescapable sensation of being watched by the dead, a feeling that assimilated the very environment, as if one had fallen into the depths of hell itself.

Death—the eyes of the creature before them offered Xiao Zi and You Xiang the most perfect, visceral definition of that word.

Fear erupted and spread maniacally within their hearts.

A moment later, the figure fully clawed its way out of the earth. A mass of tangled black hair thrashed like a nest of vipers, and its mud-caked body exuded the stench of decay. The ten fingers, stained black as if dipped in potent poison, combined with that ghastly face, formed the perfect image of a Yaksha demon.

Seeing this appearance, Xiao Zi and You Xiang instinctively recoiled. But before they could take more than a few steps back, their bodies suddenly seized up; an indescribable, crushing terror bound them, rendering any further movement impossible.

They were locked down!

Because of the sudden shift, neither of them reacted immediately. Only now did they snap back to awareness, noticing the anomaly gripping their bodies, and instantly understood what was happening.

Their gaze snapped forward, confirming their fear: the ghoul-like figure was staring intently at them.

What in the world is this entity? Just looking at him feels like standing face-to-face with the God of Death. No—even without looking, there is the sensation of the Grim Reaper’s scythe hooked around my neck. It is not just my body; even my consciousness is drowning in fear... Is this Weiya (Pressure/Aura)? It’s more terrifying than Master!

You Xiang forcibly suppressed the tremor in her body, astonishment churning inside her. She had once heard from Lin Luo that a true powerhouse could kill an enemy merely with their inherent aura, without even moving—that imposing presence was called Weiya.

Though she had always doubted this concept, after Lin Luo displayed his Weiya once, she was forced to believe. The dread inflicted by that pressure was a memory she would never forget. Yet, the Weiya she felt now far surpassed anything Lin Luo had ever revealed, giving her the distinct feeling that she could die at any second.

Damn it! Is this fellow even stronger than Master? How could we possibly contend with someone like this? Curse it, why did we have to encounter this creature... Move! I command you, move!

Realizing the enemy’s sheer power, You Xiang regretted her choices for the first time. Noticing that Xiao Zi seemed to be in an even worse state beside her, she desperately wanted to break free from the binding restraint, but under the opponent’s Weiya, her efforts were futile.

Weiya—this was a realm they were not yet capable of touching. Against an enemy wielding such power, any resistance they offered was destined to be impotent.

However, You Xiang had misjudged one crucial thing.

While it was impossible to judge yet whether this individual was stronger or weaker than Lin Luo, Lin Luo had never unleashed his full Weiya in front of them. More importantly, Lin Luo had never directed killing intent toward them—a force far superior to Weiya.

To put it simply: when you feel killing intent, you are already dead.

Thus, theoretically, having been tempered by Lin Luo’s repeated displays of Weiya, You Xiang and Xiao Zi possessed a certain immunity to this pressure. They were unaware of it, but this immunity lay dormant, deep within their bodies and souls.

“You… who exactly are you?” After repeated attempts to break the restraint yielded nothing, in this critical moment, You Xiang surprisingly calmed down. Abandoning the pointless struggle, she looked toward the figure ahead and asked, “Who are you?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” the figure, resembling a Yaksha demon, grinned, revealing rows of stark white teeth, his face twisted into a sinister smile. “Little mice running into my domain to cause trouble, and you dare ask who I am? Don't you think that’s a bit too foolish?”

“What did you say?” You Xiang’s heart jolted; a sudden thought struck her.

The being sneered, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Whether human or Yokai, greed is the original sin. Those attracted by greed, like you, ultimately face only one outcome: death.”

You Xiang frowned. Although her mind had caught onto something, she hadn’t fully grasped the situation. At that moment, Xiao Zi suddenly spoke up, “You are the master of this Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land, the Yokai that underwent transformation!”

“It really is him?!” You Xiang exclaimed in shock.

Xiao Zi offered no reply, nor did the figure acknowledge her statement, merely shifting his gaze to Xiao Zi, nodding slightly, then shaking his head. “You are only half right. I am indeed the owner of this Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land, but I am no mere transformed Yokai.”

“Then what are you?” You Xiang couldn't help but ask.

The figure immediately let out a cold laugh. “Hmph. Why would I tell secrets like this to two little brats like you? Even if you are about to die, I am not the sort to treat the dying gently…”

“Even if you don’t tell me, I know,” before he could finish, Xiao Zi’s voice sounded right next to his ear.

Pausing slightly, a streak of viciousness flashed in the figure’s eyes as he stared at Xiao Zi. “Oh? Since you claim to know, I’d certainly like to hear you elaborate.”

Anyone could perceive the intensity of the man’s killing intent, completely undisguised. Combined with his appearance, the effect was utterly terrifying. Yet, Xiao Zi showed no fear, stating seriously, “From the beginning, you said you have been enduring, slumbering, for ten thousand years. Therefore, you are not like the common Yokai rumored to have grown powerful by occupying this Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land. You have always been the master of this place… no, the master of this Altar, a being existing since antiquity!”

“Very astute. But what is the significance of knowing all this?” the figure mocked.

Xiao Zi ignored his derisive expression and declared loudly, “It has great significance! Your massive Weiya causes us fear, and fear makes us panic and lose the ability to analyze things rationally. But once we know your true nature, you are not so terrifying, because you simply cannot kill us!”

The figure’s pupils contracted instantly, a fleeting expression of surprise at having the truth revealed, though he quickly regained his composure and sneered, “That’s not a funny joke at all.”

“It’s not a joke!” Although his surprised look was only momentary, it did not escape the sharp eyes of Xiao Zi. “It was initially my guess, but now I am certain: you lack the ability to kill us! Want to refute it? If you can’t, then come kill me! I won’t flee or resist; I’ll stand right here. Come and try to kill me!”

Xiao Zi’s resounding words made You Xiang turn pale with shock, and she cried out instinctively, “Xiao Zi, are you insane?!”

In You Xiang’s view, the power of the being before them was immeasurable. While she wouldn't just lie down and die, the priority right now was stalling for time and finding a way to break free from the restraint. Provoking the enemy like this would undoubtedly incite a lethal attack.

However, to You Xiang’s surprise, despite Xiao Zi’s provocative declaration and the enemy’s overwhelming killing intent, the figure remained motionless, showing no sign of lunging forward to execute them both.

What… what is going on?

Noticing this, You Xiang couldn't comprehend it.

At that moment, Xiao Zi smiled. “See? You fundamentally cannot kill me.”

The figure stopped sneering and glared darkly at Xiao Zi. “You… how did you possibly know?!”

“You told me yourself,” Xiao Zi answered without hesitation. “Our Master said that if an ancient powerhouse sought revival, the required process must be incredibly complex. As an ancient powerhouse from ten thousand years ago, even if you didn't die, having endured slumber for such an immense duration means your power has surely fallen to its nadir. This Altar is the essential means for your recovery… If I’m not mistaken, the rumors about the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land were spread by yourself. Your goal was to lure the greedy people you mentioned, so they, like the stone surfaces here, could all become your sacrifices. Then you could reap the benefits and restore your strength. Am I correct?”

The figure offered no answer, but his face darkened completely.

“It seems I was right. Then comes the most crucial part… Because we inadvertently damaged the Altar, you could no longer conceal your true form, which is why you appeared before us. And upon appearing, you immediately used immense Weiya to pressure us, intending for us to acknowledge your power, dare not fight, and abandon resistance. But that is an illusion!”

“From the moment you appeared until now, you haven’t moved a single step. Why is that? Because you are the center of the Altar. Even if the Altar is damaged, you remain the core. As long as the center remains unchanged, the Altar can recover. But, consequently, you cannot move or fight. All you possess is Weiya—a Weiya that cannot kill. Therefore… the one who is truly afraid right now is not us, but you!”

Xiao Zi stared at him, her words decisive and firm.

PS: My condition has completely returned; I felt great writing this chapter. There will be another chapter tonight. (To be continued)