He Qingman’s eyes snapped open abruptly, her pretty face shifting slightly. She glanced around, then let out a sharp cry, “What did you say?”

“We are likely surrounded by the fiends of the Black Scale Clan,” Shi Yan rose, his expression solemn, and said in a deep voice, “At least thirty of them, only three hundred meters away from us. Four of them should be at the Status Realm!”

“You’re not joking, are you?” He Qingman’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, a hint of disbelief in her tone. As she spoke, she stealthily extended her spiritual power toward the three-hundred-meter mark.

Where her spiritual energy traveled, there was only dead silence—no life fluctuations, no peculiar auras whatsoever.

He Qingman frowned in displeasure and let out a cold snort. She glared at Shi Yan and snapped, “There’s clearly nothing there. Are you intentionally trying to cause trouble instead of resting in the middle of the night?”

Shi Yan looked startled, and once again utilized the Soul Gathering Bead to sense the surroundings.

Under the penetration of his spiritual perception, he discovered that the thirty-odd fiends of the Black Scale Clan had not vanished; instead, they were gradually closing in!

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Shi Yan immediately realized that He Qingman’s spiritual power could not detect the presence of these Black Scale Clan fiends.

Tonight, the Black Scale Clan fiends possessed the ability to conceal their forms and slow their soul fluctuations, effectively rendering them invisible. Although He Qingman was at the Status Realm, she lacked the Soul Gathering Bead and was fundamentally incapable of discerning the fiends’ presence.

“They are slowly approaching,” Shi Yan said with a grim face, his voice grave. “If you cannot sense them, it proves they are not there!”

“I can’t be bothered with you.” He Qingman looked thoroughly impatient, deeply annoyed. She sat still, closing her eyes again. Possessing cultivation at the Status Realm, she was confident her spiritual power was far more acute than Shi Yan’s. If she couldn't sense any movement around them, how could the Hundred Tribulations Realm Shi Yan possibly detect the fiends’ stealthy advance? He Qingman dismissed it as Shi Yan’s idle posturing and paid it no mind.

Shi Yan’s expression was exceedingly grave. He took a deep breath and slowly walked toward the Wind Thunder Flying Lion.

He Qingman, though her eyes were closed, could sense Shi Yan’s movements, but she paid no attention, inwardly complaining about the Yang family sending this burden, Shi Yan, here.

“Bang!” Suddenly, Shi Yan struck the Wind Thunder Flying Lion hard with a heavy punch. The unsuspecting beast was instantly enraged, rearing up with a start. “Roar!” The Wind Thunder Flying Lion bellowed, its brass-bell eyes filled with surging, heaven-shaking wrath.

“Are you insane?” He Qingman cried out sharply, rushing over, glaring fiercely at Shi Yan. “What is wrong with you? Why provoke the Wind Thunder Flying Lion without reason? Are you tired of living?”

“Go!” Shi Yan suddenly exerted his strength, grabbing He Qingman and leaping toward the Wind Thunder Flying Lion.

“Let go of me!” He Qingman exploded in fury. A tumultuous wave, like a collapsing mountain, suddenly burst forth from her delicate frame. Under this overwhelming surge of power, Shi Yan felt as if he were holding a rapidly inflating balloon. Before he could even activate his Petrification Martial Spirit, he was staggering back several steps, buffeted by the power emanating from He Qingman’s body, his boots pounding the ground beneath the lion, which roared and thrashed incessantly.

He Qingman wrenched herself free, her face icy, her eyes blazing with killing intent. “Shi Yan, do you truly believe I wouldn't dare to strike you?”

“Hurry up and go!” Shi Yan roared, suddenly raising his right hand. Seven hand seals materialized swiftly, which he pushed out with a roar.

“Boom, boom…” The Life Seal shot out a wave of kinetic energy, carrying an extreme thrust, violently slamming into a patch of darkness to the left.

That area of darkness instantly warped and twisted, erupting with dazzling light as several pitch-black figures, their expressions ferocious, abruptly materialized from the shadows.

The aliens!

These materialized beings were covered in black scales, their skin dark and mottled, standing roughly three meters tall, powerfully built, with sinister, evil eyes and a dense aura of brutality clinging to them. Six aliens appeared, their dark green eyes casting a cold, venomous glint like a viper's. Forced out of the darkness by the Life Seal, once they stabilized, the six aliens suddenly shot forward, heading directly for Shi Yan and the woman.

“Ah!” He Qingman gasped, her pretty face filled with astonishment. Staring blankly as the six Black Scale Clan fiends lunged, she suddenly grew excited. “There really are fiends here! Ha, wonderful, I was just looking for them.”

“Let’s go!” Shi Yan shouted urgently. “It’s not just these six; there are more fiends approaching where you can’t see. If we don't leave now, we will definitely be surrounded, and then escape will be impossible.” He Qingman was horrified.

“Little Lei, let’s go.” After a second of stunned realization, she reacted instantly, giving the restless Wind Thunder Flying Lion a sharp kick. The beast immediately spread its wings and soared into the sky.

Riding the Wind Thunder Flying Lion, He Qingman looked down over the Obsidian Forest below and indeed noticed ripples of distortion moving through the darkness. Within those shadows, an untold number of Black Scale Clan fiends lay in wait.

He Qingman watched below for a while, silently dumbfounded, recalling the near-danger and feeling a lingering sense of dread. If Shi Yan hadn't detected the surrounding encirclement in time and attacked the Wind Thunder Flying Lion to force her ascent, perhaps they would have been trapped by the Black Scale Clan fiends. Even though the Wind Thunder Flying Lion was a sixth-tier demonic beast, surrounded by so many experts from the Black Scale Clan, protecting them would have been difficult. The fiends dared to approach, meaning they were certainly not afraid of the Flying Lion, otherwise, they wouldn't have moved in so deliberately and slowly… The more He Qingman thought, the more unnerved she became.

After a pause, her beautiful eyes turned to Shi Yan beside her. “How did you know the fiends were coming?”

Shi Yan’s expression was indifferent. He claimed no credit, nor did he chastise He Qingman for her earlier misunderstanding, stating calmly, “I have my methods. Next time, will you be able to sense the aura of these fiends?”

He Qingman’s eyes brightened. “Within five hundred meters, as long as these fiends show themselves, I think I should be able to sense them.”

Shi Yan nodded. “These fiends are exceptionally skilled at concealing their aura. Once they hide their life fluctuations, it is indeed difficult for ordinary people to detect them. The reason I could discover them wasn't due to the might of my spiritual power, but because I possess a rare treasure.”

“It really is the treasure taking effect,” He Qingman seemed to surmise. “Given your cultivation level, without the aid of a treasure, your perception surely wouldn't be as keen as mine.”

Shi Yan did not deny it and nodded. “Naturally.”

“In future operations to clear out the fiends, you will accompany me. I won’t need you to fight; just use your treasure to quickly pinpoint the fiends’ locations for me,” He Qingman proposed after a moment's thought. Following this small incident, the rapport between the two had improved slightly, and He Qingman no longer constantly targeted him.

“Agreed,” Shi Yan said nonchalantly.

“Sense them now, see where the fiends have gone?” He Qingman poked her head out from the Wind Thunder Flying Lion, looking down at the dark Obsidian Forest below, asking the beast to descend slightly to cooperate. Shi Yan once again channeled his spiritual power into the Soul Gathering Bead, closed his eyes, and quietly perceived. Soon, he opened his eyes and pointed toward a dark peak in the distance. “All the fiends are heading toward that peak.”

“It really is there,” He Qingman nodded. “That peak is where the Black Spot Copper is mined; that is also our target for tomorrow.”

“Let’s just go there directly tomorrow. It's too late today; we shouldn't take unnecessary risks,” Shi Yan suggested.

“Mm.” He Qingman considered, then added, “Don't mention what happened tonight to Lin Nan and the others. Just act as if nothing occurred.”

“Why?”

“We were ordered here to eliminate the fiends. Shen Yidan, Peng Pei, Shi Yubai, and I will each lead a team. This demon-clearing operation is a test of our abilities set by those above. Whoever performs outstandingly will receive greater trust upon our return to the Tianxie Grotto-Heaven. Shen Yidan has always been competing with me; naturally, I must surpass her and keep her in check!” He Qingman stated frankly.

Shi Yan paused in surprise, then nodded. “Oh.”

When the Wind Thunder Flying Lion landed on the mountaintop where Lin Nan and the others were gathered, Shi Yan saw them all meditating with their eyes closed. No one was speaking.

Shi Yubai, situated behind a black rock on the peak, opened his eyes, gave Shi Yan a cold glance, frowned slightly, and then closed his eyes again.

“Qingman, didn't find anything, did you?” Lin Nan asked casually with a faint smile.

“Nothing found,” He Qingman replied with a smile. “But everyone needs to be careful tomorrow; we might genuinely run into the fiends in that cavern.”

“Mm, there is a high probability these fiends are in that Black Spot Copper mine. Qingman, get some good rest; we depart first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Understood, Sister Nan.”

The next morning. Lin Nan began calling everyone early to prepare, summoning He Qingman, Shen Yidan, Peng Pei, and Shi Yubai to rouse their respective followers. These four were all young elites heavily cultivated by the Tianxie Grotto-Heaven, all at the Status Realm. Each led a small squad, with seven or eight Hundred Tribulations Realm followers in each team.

“Shi Yan, that cavern has numerous branching paths. Once inside, everyone might be separated. If any party discovers movement, immediately send a signal out, and the other three parties will rush over immediately. Well, we are about to set off; which group do you plan to join?” Lin Nan inquired.

“Little brother, stay with my side. My team is slightly stronger; we can ensure your safety,” Shi Yubai suddenly invited with a smile.

Shi Yan shook his head, smiling.

“How about with me? Big sister will take care of you,” Shen Yidan called out, half-jokingly, though inwardly quite disdainful, hoping Shi Yan wouldn't agree.

“We are old acquaintances, and we agreed last night; he’s coming with me,” He Qingman stated coolly.

“Mm,” Shi Yan smiled in agreement.

“Suit yourself,” Lin Nan nodded, smiling at He Qingman. “Shi Yan is from the Yang family; you little girl, you’ll have to watch out for him and don't let the fiends hurt him. If anything untoward happens to him, the Yang family’s blame will be difficult for us to answer for.”

“I know, Sister Nan.”

“Alright, everyone set off…”