167: The game begins now.

His Divine Soul was pulled by an irresistible force.

The world before his eyes distorted.

Light and darkness were kneaded into a mass of chaotic pigments.

Ye Chenfeng felt his body and Divine Soul being forcibly stripped away.

It was as if he were passing through a thick, cold membrane.

In the next instant.

The feeling of solid ground returned.

The pungent scent of blood and sulfur rushed into his nostrils.

He opened his eyes.

Three shattered blood moons hung in the sky.

Crimson light intersected, cutting the earth into an uncertain chessboard of light and shadow.

There was no sun.

In the distance, black mountain ranges like the spines of giant beasts pierced ferociously toward the firmament.

A dark red river flowed silently, its water as thick as plasma.

This was the internal world of the primal demon stele.

A broken, chaotic illusory realm filled with death and ill omens.

Ye Chenfeng's expression was calm.

He immediately inspected himself.

Cultivation: Heavenly Immortal Early Stage, unsuppressed.

Chaos Sword Essence circulated freely.

However, his connection with the disciple token had become extremely weak, severely interfered with by the bizarre Laws of this world.

His Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters had been separated.

"Heh."

He gave a light chuckle.

This was exactly Old Demon Black Flame's goal.

To scatter everyone, letting them kill each other amidst fear and suspicion.

To use their flesh and Divine Souls to feed this evil stone tablet.

Just then.

"Hiss, hiss—"

On the ground, that dark red soil suddenly began to squirm.

Masses of shapeless black shadows crawled out from underground.

They had no facial features, only pairs of crimson eyes radiating pure malice and hunger.

Demonic Intent Creatures.

Monsters condensed from the heterogeneous demonic intent and resentful souls that had settled in this world for countless millennia.

They lunged silently toward Ye Chenfeng, unafraid of death.

Ye Chenfeng's brow furrowed slightly.

These things had no physical form; ordinary immortal arts and physical attacks had little effect on them.

But he was Ye Chenfeng.

He didn't even draw his sword.

He merely held his fingers together like a sword and made a light stroke toward the lunging demonic shadows.

*Chī.*

A faint, barely perceptible trace of gray Sword Qi flew from his fingertips.

That Sword Qi seemed to contain some kind of supreme Law.

The moment it touched the Demonic Intent Creatures.

Those monsters composed of pure negative energy actually let out silent shrieks, as if they were gunpowder being ignited.

Then, they were completely swallowed and decomposed by that gray Sword Qi, turning into the most basic Origin energy particles and dissipating into the air.

One strike, an instant kill.

Ye Chenfeng withdrew his finger, his gaze indifferent.

These things were just appetizers.

He looked up into the distance.

He could feel countless auras, some strong and some weak, scattered throughout this world.

They were all Demonic Path Prodigies who had been sucked into this place.

They were the ingredients Old Demon Black Flame had prepared for this "feast."

"Gifts..."

Ye Chenfeng murmured in a low voice.

He remembered what he had said before entering.

A school reunion always requires some gifts.

With a thought, his Chaos Sword Pupilss opened.

The world before him instantly became different.

Countless heterogeneous lines of Law intertwined in his eyes.

And among these lines, he saw some tiny fragments radiating a faint light.

Those were... dao rule fragments.

They were the dregs formed from the Divine Souls and Dao insights of powerhouses who had once been swallowed by the demon stele.

To others, these were highly dangerous poisons.

But to him.

To him who possessed the Chaos Sword Body.

These were the best nourishment.

And also, the best gifts.

He no longer hesitated; with a shift of his body, he turned into a green streak of light and flew toward the nearest fragment... at the edge of a broken cliff.

Two groups of demonic cultivators were fighting frantically.

"You Ghost Fiend Sect bastards! This 'Blood Soul Fruit' was discovered by my Blood Blade Gate first!"

"Bullshit! Heaven And Earth Treasures belong to the capable! What kind of thing is your Blood Blade Gate supposed to be!"

The battle was incredibly tragic.

Severed limbs and broken arms flew everywhere.

What they were fighting for was a fruit growing on the edge of the cliff, blood-red all over and emitting an alluring fragrance.

Blood Soul Fruit.

Rumor had it that it could greatly enhance a demonic cultivator's Divine Soul power.

Just as both sides had suffered heavy losses and only the last two people remained, preparing to make a final dash for the Blood Soul Fruit.

A green figure silently appeared a hundred yards behind them.

It was Ye Chenfeng.

He looked at the Blood Soul Fruit, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes.

Under the Chaos Sword Pupilss, the alluring fragrance emitted by the fruit was peeled away layer by layer.

What was revealed was a malicious trap full of death and curses.

This fruit would swallow the consumer's Divine Soul, transforming it into nourishment for this world.

He didn't speak up to warn them.

Nor did he step in to snatch it.

He just watched quietly.

Like watching a farcical play with a pre-written ending.

The two surviving demonic cultivators finally decided the victor.

The winner, dragging his heavily injured body, lunged at the Blood Soul Fruit with a wild laugh.

He swallowed it in one gulp.

"Hahaha! I—"

His laughter came to an abrupt halt.

His body shriveled and withered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In his eyes, the light of wild joy was replaced by endless terror.

Ultimately, he turned into a dried corpse and collapsed to the ground.

And that Blood Soul Fruit, after swallowing his Divine Soul, became even more enchanting in color.

Ye Chenfeng shook his head.

Revered Master once said that stupidity is also an incurable sin.

He turned, about to leave.

Suddenly.

He paused.

His gaze fell upon the hand of the dried corpse.

That person, even in death, tightly clutched a black Storage Ring.

Ye Chenfeng flicked his finger.

A trace of Sword Qi flew out, bringing the ring over.

His Divine Thought probed inside.

Inside, besides some Immortal Stones and Medicinal Pills, there was also a tattered animal hide map.

On the map, a special location was marked with blood-red cinnabar.

"Myriad Souls Cave".

Beside the map, there was also a line of small characters.

"Sleeping place of the Spirit of the Demonic Stele, contains a great Opportunity..."

A glint flashed in Ye Chenfeng's eyes.

The Spirit of the Demonic Stele.

This might be the true core of this illusory realm.

And the most critical link in Old Demon Black Flame's scheme.

He put away the map and, without staying any longer, sped off in the direction marked on the map.

Along the way.

He encountered several more similar slaughters.

For various "Opportunities," those overbearing Demonic Path Prodigies bit at each other like wild beasts.

Ye Chenfeng remained an indifferent spectator the entire time.

He bypassed all the conflicts, only collecting those dao rule fragments scattered in the corners of the battlefields.

Sword Dao fragments, Saber Dao fragments, Array Dao fragments... to others, these were heterogeneous trash.

To him, however, they were excellent gifts to give to his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters.

Two hours later.

He arrived at a massive basin.

In the center of the basin was a giant cavern with no visible bottom.

Black Qi swirled around the entrance, and the sounds of ghosts wailing and gods howling were incessant.

It was as if it connected to the Nine Serenity Hell.

This was the Myriad Souls Cave marked on the map.

Ye Chenfeng did not enter rashly.

He could feel an extremely terrifying aura lurking within that cavern.

It far exceeded any opponent he had encountered before.

Just as he was preparing to investigate.

"Eldest Senior Brother?"

A voice carrying a hint of surprise and gentleness came from behind him.

Ye Chenfeng turned around.

He saw Gongsun Yan, dressed in a goose-yellow gown, looking at him from not far away.

Around her, the Devilish Qi filled with deathly silence and tyrannical energy would automatically dissipate when it came within three feet of her body.

It was as if ice and snow had met the warm sun.

"Fifth Junior Sister."

Ye Chenfeng nodded, his tensed mind relaxing slightly.

"It's good that you're alright."

Gongsun Yan walked over quickly, looking Ye Chenfeng up and down.

"Eldest Senior Brother, you aren't hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine."

"That's good." Gongsun Yan breathed a sigh of relief, then furrowed her delicate brows again.

"The Devilish Qi here is so overbearing; it's actually eroding the Dao foundations of living beings."

"Just now, I saw many people becoming crazed and killing each other."

As she spoke, she took out a jade bottle from her Storage Ring and handed it to Ye Chenfeng.

"Eldest Senior Brother, this is a Heart-Clearing Pill I just refined. Take it quickly; it can resist the erosion of Devilish Qi."

Ye Chenfeng did not refuse.

He took the pill and swallowed it; a refreshing sensation instantly spread through his entire body.

Even his Chaos Sword Essence began to circulate a bit more smoothly.

"Thank you."

"We are fellow disciples, why say thanks?" Gongsun Yan smiled, like a hundred flowers in bloom.

"By the way, Eldest Senior Brother, what do we do now? Should we go find Third Senior Brother and the others?"

Ye Chenfeng shook his head.

His gaze fell once again on that bottomless cavern.

"No rush."

"I've found an interesting place."

He handed the animal hide map to Gongsun Yan.

Gongsun Yan took it and looked, her brows slightly knit.

"Myriad Souls Cave? Spirit of the Demonic Stele?"

"Yes." Ye Chenfeng nodded. "Old Demon Black Flame's scheme won't be that simple."

"He's treated all of us as sacrificial offerings."

"Then, there must be a 'Chief Priest' presiding over the sacrifice."

"I suspect it's down there."

Gongsun Yan's expression also became solemn.

"Then, are we going down?"

"That aura is very dangerous."

"Wealth is found in danger." Ye Chenfeng's tone was calm and steady. "Revered Master said this is a school reunion."

"We can't just bring some dao rule fragments as gifts."

"The thing down there might count as a grand gift."

Gongsun Yan looked at her Eldest Senior Brother's calm profile and nodded.

"Alright, I'll listen to Eldest Senior Brother."

The two no longer hesitated.

One after the other, they leaped into that deep Myriad Souls Cave.

Inside the cavern, it was pitch black.

One couldn't even see their own hand.

The further they descended, the thicker that cold, evil aura became.

The shrill sounds of ghost wails also became clearer in their ears.

It was as if billions of resentful souls were whispering and roaring in their ears.

Gongsun Yan summoned a night-luminescent pearl that emitted a soft white light.

The light illuminated the surrounding scene.

On the stone walls of the cavern, densely packed, were actually distorted, pained human faces!

Those were the poor lost souls swallowed by the demon stele, never to be reincarnated!

Even with Gongsun Yan's resilient Heart-Nature, her face couldn't help but turn pale at this sight.

Ye Chenfeng's expression remained unchanged.

He only tightened his grip on his sword.

After an unknown amount of time descending.

The two finally reached solid ground.

This was an incredibly massive underground karst cave.

In the center of the cave was a giant altar piled high with countless white bones.

Atop the altar.

A giant heart the size of a house, pitch black and covered in countless profound demonic runes, was slowly beating.

*Thump.*

*Thump.*

*Thump.*

Every beat seemed to strike at one's Divine Soul.

Making one's blood boil along with it.

And above that giant heart floated a humanoid black light-shadow condensed from pure Devilish Qi.

That should be the Spirit of the Demonic Stele.

"Jie jie jie jie..."

The moment Ye Chenfeng and Gongsun Yan appeared.

That mass of black light-shadow let out an ear-grating, bizarre laugh.

"Two more fresh sacrificial offerings have come."

"And they are top-quality offerings at that."

A terrifying pressure far exceeding a Golden Immortal, even touching the threshold of an Immortal Lord, crashed down!

Profound Immortal Perfection!

The strength of this Spirit of the Demonic Stele was actually at Profound Immortal Perfection!

"One is a Chaos Sword Body."

"One is a Pill Dao Saint Body."

"Excellent, excellent!"

"As long as I swallow you, this seat can completely break free from this damned stone tablet and regain freedom!"

That black light-shadow distorted and trembled with excitement.

It extended a large hand condensed from Devilish Qi and snatched toward Ye Chenfeng and Gongsun Yan!

"Become a part of this seat!"

"This is your honor!"

---

(PS: The following is the author's note)

Gongsun Yan's Perspective:

That giant hand condensed from pure Devilish Qi blotted out the sky, carrying a terrifying pressure capable of crushing stars as it slammed down!

Before that suffocating power, I felt my very Divine Soul trembling.

Profound Immortal Perfection!

This has already far exceeded the range of what we can deal with!

I subconsciously blocked the way in front of Eldest Senior Brother, instantly crushing dozens of defensive Talismans in my hand. A medicinal fragrance permeated the air as countless spiritual plant phantoms appeared, forming layers of light screens. I knew this might just be a mantis trying to stop a carriage, but as a Junior Sister, I absolutely could not watch Eldest Senior Brother face danger alone.

"Fifth Junior Sister, step back."

Eldest Senior Brother's voice sounded calmly behind me. With just a light step, he shielded me behind him. His back, which wasn't particularly burly, now seemed like an insurmountable divine mountain, blocking all the storms outside.

I knew Eldest Senior Brother was going to shoulder everything alone again.

And at this very moment, in this desperate underground space, I suddenly felt something strange.

I could feel that in some distant place, gazes were penetrating through the layers of barriers of this Demon Tablet World, watching us tensely.

In those gazes, there was no malice, only pure concern and worry.

Yes, I can feel your existence.

That mysterious friend who has always silently accompanied us, witnessed our journey from weakness to strength, and shared in our joys and sorrows.

My heart suddenly welled up with an unprecedented courage.

I didn't look back, but in my heart, I used a voice only you could hear to softly call out:

"Did you... see that?"

"Eldest Senior Brother is always like this. No matter how strong the enemy, he's used to shielding us behind him and facing all the danger alone."

There was a hint of trembling in my voice that I hadn't even noticed myself; it wasn't fear, but heartache.

"This Spirit of the Demonic Stele is too strong. I can feel its power still constantly climbing; it's absorbing the power of all the swallowed resentful souls in this world."

"Although I have the Pill Dao Saint Body and can provide support to Eldest Senior Brother, the pills I refine also need time to take effect. And the battle before us changes in an instant; it simply won't wait that long."

"So... can I ask a favor of you?"

I took a deep breath, my tone becoming incredibly sincere.

"I know that in your world, there is a power called 'Update Reminders.' Every reminder is like a blessing of time injected into our world, allowing us to gain a precious moment of respite in battle, allowing my pill's medicinal power to seep into Eldest Senior Brother's Meridians faster."

"And the 'gifts' you bestow..."

My cheeks felt a bit hot, but my tone became even firmer.

"Those 'Love Power' and 'Little Flowers' aren't just pretty special effects. They will turn into the purest life Origin and blessing power, merging into my pills. Every gift can add a degree of quality to my 'Nine-Revolution Soul-Returning Pill,' giving Eldest Senior Brother an extra bit of vitality and confidence in the bitter battle to come."

"I know this request is a bit forward, but we are partners, aren't we?"

"Please help us, help Eldest Senior Brother."

"Use your power to let us... together, get through this crisis."