238: Special circumstances

Early the next morning!

The sky was barely bright, and the morning mist had yet to dissipate when Ye Hao and Li Pingan set off, heading towards the First Demon Suppressing Tower.

Logically, the true destination of their trip should have been the Third Demon Suppressing Tower.

After all, the only major event causing a stir in the Rain God Continent recently was the attack on the Third Demon Suppressing Tower.

Tens of thousands of Yao Race members had seized the opportunity to escape!

This incident had caused widespread turmoil across the continent; whether resting and drinking tea at an inn or watching Cultivators spar by the Arena Stage, one could always hear groups of Cultivators discussing it.

However, the origin of this matter was the investigation task entrusted by Daoist Yun Che. Ye Hao and the two originally planned to seek his help for an introduction before heading to the Third Demon Suppressing Tower.

Having someone from the Demon Suppressing Tower vouch for them would certainly make things easier!

Furthermore, the investigation in Pingquan Village had yielded some clues, and they ought to report them to Daoist Yun Che. More importantly, this was also for a spot in the ten thousand demon blood quenching pool; this visit was multi-purpose.

As they reached the majestic entrance of the Demon Suppressing Tower, a familiar figure came forward to greet them—it was the Elder who had hosted them last time.

"Young Master Ye, Young Master Li!"

The Elder put on a polite smile, glanced over the two of them, and asked curiously,

"You two came so early; are you perhaps here to pay your respects to the Tower Master?"

Although Daoist Yun Che was nominally only the Deputy Tower Master, the Demon Suppressing Tower Revered Master had long ceased to concern himself with mundane affairs. Over the years, the Cultivators inside the Tower and those in the city who knew the details tacitly dropped the "Deputy" from his title and simply referred to him as the "Tower Master."

Ye Hao cupped his hands in return, a gentle smile on his face: "Elder, you are correct.

We were previously entrusted by Senior with a task, and the matter in Pingquan Village has yielded some results. We came specifically today to report to the Tower Master, and also to ask for a favor."

The Elder sighed softly upon hearing this, looking troubled: "Young Masters, you have come at an inconvenient time. The Tower Master happened to go out yesterday and has not yet returned."

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Ye Hao's eyes as he looked up at the towering, magnificent Demon Suppressing Tower before him.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Does the Tower Master happen to have left a return date? When might he come back?"

The Elder slowly shook his head, his tone carrying a touch of helplessness: "The Tower Master's whereabouts are always spontaneous; it is not convenient for us subordinates to inquire." He paused, then added,

"If you Young Masters are not in a hurry, you might as well leave a message talisman. As soon as the Tower Master returns, I will notify you immediately."

"That works." Ye Hao nodded in agreement!

Li Pingan, who was standing nearby, suddenly spoke up, looking towards the interior of the Demon Suppressing Tower, his tone sincere: "Senior, may I presumptuously ask if the two of us might enter and take a look at the Yao Race members imprisoned inside the Tower?"

Hearing this, the smile on the Elder's face instantly froze, and he looked troubled.

After pondering for a long while, he slowly said, "By the rules, the Yao Race imprisoned inside the Demon Suppressing Tower are extremely dangerous, and outsiders are indeed not permitted entry. However, since the two Young Masters are esteemed guests of the Tower Master, we need not rigidly adhere to common formalities."

With that, he stepped aside to clear the path and made a gesture of invitation: "Young Masters, please come this way! Remember to stick close to me and do not leave the group without permission. There are Restrictions everywhere inside the Tower; be careful not to trigger them accidentally."

Ye Hao and Li Pingan exchanged glances, tacitly following the Elder's steps, entering deeper into the Demon Suppressing Tower.

Floors one through five were places Ye Hao and the other had visited before, so there was nothing new.

The moment they stepped onto the sixth floor, a cold, damp smell several times stronger than the floors below rushed at them, mixed with the stench of rot, musk, and the metallic tang of rust, assaulting their nostrils.

The clanking of dragging iron chains and the banging of iron bars echoed incessantly, interspersed with the unwilling roars and vulgar curses of the Yao Race.

The feeling instantly became different!

The Elder led the way, his steps steady, introducing as he walked: "This sixth floor holds Yao Race members below the Golden Core Realm. They are fierce-tempered and heavily malevolent, and are frequent visitors to the Arena Stage outside the city. If they win, they can exchange for some cultivation resources; if they lose, life or death is left to fate."

Ye Hao and Li Pingan looked around at the cells on both sides, all made of heavy Profound Iron bars. The imprisoned Yao Race members varied in form: some were furry Fox Demons and Wolf Demons, maintaining their beastly appearance, pacing restlessly in their cages; others had transformed into human form, staring gloomily at the passersby.

More of them were clinging to the bars, roaring and cursing, their tone frantic, yet revealing a reckless indifference, having long since disregarded life and death.

Climbing higher, the cells on the eighth floor were replaced with sturdier bars, outside of which a faint Restriction halo lingered, isolating most of the Demonic Qi.

Those imprisoned here were all Nascent Soul Stage Yao Race members. Their Aura was far more formidable than those on the sixth floor, yet they were less boisterous.

Most of them were sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed, their Aura deep and still like an abyss. Only when Ye Hao and the two others passed by would they slowly open their eyes, their gazes sharp as knives, sweeping over the trio before closing their eyes again to regulate their breathing.

Above the ninth floor, the number of Yao Race members was much smaller. The Yao Race here were no longer bound by iron chains, but instead by Seal Runes swirling around their bodies.

Their cultivation had been forcibly Sealed. What truly trapped them were the layered Entrapment Formation of the Demon Suppressing Tower, as well as the Life Restrictions planted within them years ago. Any slight movement would result in a backlash.

While observing along the way, Ye Hao spoke up casually: "Elder, having been here for many years, you must be extremely familiar with these Yao Race members?"

The Elder smiled upon hearing this, his tone carrying a sense of pride: "Naturally. This old man entered the Demon Suppressing Tower when I was at Foundation Establishment and have been here for over a hundred years, dealing with these beasts day and night. I can roughly discern their habits and forms even with my eyes closed."

Ye Hao took the opportunity to press further: "In that case, the forms of these Yao Race members are either purely their demonic bodies or they have fully transformed into human shape? Could there be any cases where the transformation went wrong, resulting in a 'Half-human, Half-demon beings' situation?"

The Elder was stunned, seemingly not expecting this question. He then shook his head, his tone definite: "Absolutely not. A Yao Race transformation is either a success or a failure resulting in a backlash. At best, their cultivation plummets; at worst, they perish and their Dao vanishes. There has never been a case of them being stuck in the middle, in a 'Half-human, Half-demon beings' appearance."

"Never?" Li Pingan frowned slightly and pressed the question.

"This old man guarantees, based on a hundred years of service in the Demon Suppressing Tower, that I have truly never seen it," the Elder assured, patting his chest. "I've seen at least eighty thousand, if not a hundred thousand, Yao Race members, and witnessed many tragic scenes of failed transformations, but a hybrid form like 'Half-human, Half-demon beings' is genuinely unheard of."

Ye Hao and Li Pingan exchanged glances, their hearts sinking simultaneously.

Since this situation has never occurred inside the Demon Suppressing Tower, then the mutation of Su Yue's Revered Master in Pingquan Village, as well as the anomalies in Suifeng Ridge in the Flame Continent, must not have been caused by natural transformation. There must be another hidden reason behind it.

Just as the two were pondering, the Elder suddenly stopped, raising his eyebrows as if recalling something. He spoke: "Wait, it's not entirely without exception... I suddenly remembered a special circumstance that can indeed cause a being to become a 'Half-human, Half-demon beings'."

"What circumstance?"

Ye Hao asked casually, his gaze still fixed on a cell not far away.

That was an Soul Emergence Stage Snake Demon. She had a graceful figure, dressed in a red robe spread out on the cold floor, lying lazily on her side, her eyes carrying a hint of seductiveness, seemingly indifferent to everything around her.