310: Chapter 308 Nine Nether Peng

Yun Ming flipped over and leapt onto Jiu Jiu's back.

Jiu Jiu's back was broad, and its five-colored feathers were soft and warm, like a thick layer of velvet carpet spread out. Yun Ming sat cross-legged on top, reaching out to pat Jiu Jiu's neck.

He activated the Fuli Heaven-Concealing Record with all his might, and a layer of invisible spiritual power enveloped the man and the bird.

Both Jiu Jiu's aura and Yun Ming's aura were completely and cleanly masked.

Looking from the outside, there was nothing there, only a stretch of dim Void Realm.

Jiu Jiu spread its wings and took flight, silent and soundless. It did not weave in and out through the gaps between the branches but flew directly into mid-air. The Fuli Heaven-Concealing Record shielded all traces of them; the patrolling demon cultivators flew past them, but not a single one noticed anything unusual. A Golden Core Middle Stage hawk demon swept past beneath Jiu Jiu, less than several zhang away, its wings almost brushing against the hawk demon's head. The hawk demon sensed nothing and flew straight on.

Yun Ming looked down at the layered branches and nesting chambers beneath his feet, sweeping his Divine Sense inch by inch. Jiu Jiu flew very slowly, and every time they passed an area, Yun Ming would stop to search carefully. He remembered Yun Xi's aura; even if it was partially masked, as long as it was within the range of his Divine Sense, he would be able to find it. He searched area by area, passing through one nesting chamber after another.

Jiu Jiu carried Yun Ming through the outer perimeter of the bird's nest, then through the middle layer, stepping closer to the central region. There were more and more demon cultivators along the way, and their cultivation levels were getting higher. Demon cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage were already rare, with most being at the Golden Core Stage. Occasionally, a few auras of the Nascent Soul Stage would sweep past from afar, and Yun Ming would pat Jiu Jiu's neck. Jiu Jiu would then hover in mid-air, motionless, waiting for those auras to move further away before continuing forward.

They searched for a long time. Jiu Jiu's stamina was being depleted, and Yun Ming's Divine Sense was also being consumed. However, Yun Xi's aura never appeared. Yun Ming was not anxious, and neither was Jiu Jiu. They searched inch by inch, not letting go of any corner.

Finally, they arrived at the very center of the bird's nest. Yun Ming saw the Nine Nether Roc's sleeping palace.

It was not a nesting chamber; it was a palace. It was built at the fork of the thickest main trunk of the giant tree, with three massive branches supporting the base of the palace from below, like three giant hands holding it in their palms. The palace was entirely cyan-white, of an unknown material; it looked like some kind of jade, yet also like solidified spiritual light. There were no carvings or decorations on the walls, which were smooth as mirrors, reflecting the shadow of Jiu Jiu's five-colored feathers. The roof was pointed, with a silver-white long spear stuck diagonally into the ridge, its tip pointing upwards, emitting a faint spiritual light. The entire palace lacked superfluous decorations, with simple lines and sharp angles, like a piece of carefully polished jade.

But in the corners of the palace, countless sparkling treasures were scattered. Spirit Stones were piled into small hills, spirit beads were strewn across the ground, and Magic Treasures, Medicinal Pills, and Materials were piled up haphazardly, some even kicked to the foot of the wall. Those treasures were of high grade, their spiritual lights intertwining to illuminate the entire sleeping palace as bright as day.

Yun Ming and Jiu Jiu landed on a branch outside the sleeping palace. The branch was thick, several zhang wide, enough for them to stand side by side. The door of the sleeping palace was not closed; it was half-open, and the inside was pitch black, with only the spiritual light of those treasures flickering. There were no guards, no patrols, and no demon cultivators. No one dared to approach the Nine Nether Roc's sleeping palace. Jiu Jiu folded its wings and crouched on the branch, its amber eyes staring at the half-open palace door. Yun Ming jumped down from its back, stepped onto the branch, and walked to the palace door. He slipped inside sideways, and Jiu Jiu followed behind, pushing the door open a few more inches.

The sleeping palace was huge, even larger than it looked from the outside. The dome was extremely high, and there were no lamps, only Spirit Stones and spirit beads embedded in the walls emitting light. The floor was cyan-white jade, polished to a mirror finish, reflecting the blurry silhouettes of Yun Ming and Jiu Jiu. The palace hall was empty; there were no tables, chairs, beds, or any furniture. There were only those treasures scattered in the corners, piled into small hills. Spirit Stones, spirit beads, Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures, Materials, Spirit Medicine—everything was there, piled up in a mess.

Yun Ming's Divine Sense swept across the entire sleeping palace, searching inch by inch. Nothing. There was no aura of Yun Xi. Jiu Jiu was also searching; it flew to the other side of the sleeping palace, using its beak to flip over a pile of Spirit Stones, and then using its claws to push aside a pile of Spirit Medicine. Nothing, there was nothing.

Yun Ming stood in the center of the sleeping palace, looking around. This sleeping palace was not small, and his Divine Sense could cover every corner. He was certain that Yun Xi was not here. But Jiu Jiu said she was locked in a stone chamber near the Nine Nether Roc's nest, so it should be around here. If she was not in the sleeping palace, then where could she be?

Jiu Jiu flew back to Yun Ming's side, landed before him, and tilted its head to look at him. It made no sound, but Yun Ming could understand the question in its eyes. Yun Ming shook his head. "Not here."

Jiu Jiu's wings drooped slightly. Yun Ming turned around, preparing to look outside the sleeping palace. He had just walked to the door when his footsteps suddenly stopped. It was not because he had discovered something, but because the sky had changed.

Originally, the sky above the bird's nest was covered by layers of branches, with only a few rays of light leaking through the gaps occasionally. But at this moment, those branches were shaking violently. It was not caused by the wind, but by some force pulling them from above. The leaves on the branches fell off one after another, swept high into the sky by that force. Some small branches snapped directly, taking the nesting chambers and demon cultivators on them into the air together.

Yun Ming walked quickly out of the sleeping palace, stood on the branch, and looked up. He saw a massive vortex. The vortex was directly above the bird's nest, with a diameter of who knows how many ten thousand zhang, churning the entire sky into a giant funnel. The clouds were torn apart, and the gale winds poured down from the center of the vortex, sweeping everything in their path into it. Those demon cultivators who were swept in, whether they were in the Qi Refining Stage or the Golden Core Stage, only lasted a few breaths in the gale before being torn to shreds. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, and they didn't even have time to let out a scream.

In the center of the vortex, a figure was slowly descending.

That figure was enveloped in lightning and gale winds, its features indistinguishable; one could only see a blurry outline. Its size was massive, its wingspan blotting out the sky, and every feather shimmered with purple-gold lightning. Its aura was overwhelming, pressing down like the might of Heaven. The Spiritual Pressure of the Soul Transformation Middle Stage was released without any restraint, crushing the entire bird's nest until it creaked. Those demon cultivators with low cultivation slumped to the ground, shivering, not even daring to lift their heads.

The Nine Nether Roc had returned.

Yun Ming stood on the branch, watching that descending figure, motionless. Jiu Jiu crouched beside him, its body trembling slightly, but not out of fear. It was the suppression of the Bloodline; in front of the Nine Nether Roc, a Five-Colored Heavenly Sparrow naturally had an urge to submit. But it did not lower its head; like Yun Ming, it watched the figure that was getting closer and closer.

The vortex was still spinning, the gale winds were still howling, and the lightning was still striking down. However, the branch where Yun Ming and Jiu Jiu stood happened to be the center of the storm. They stood there, as if standing in the eye of a typhoon. All around, the wild winds raged, yet here, there was not even a trace of wind. It was terrifyingly quiet.

The Nine Nether Roc's figure was becoming clearer and clearer. It was finally about to land.