Under the watchful gaze of numerous Sacred Spirits, Shengyang Divine Lord burst out of the Demon-Sealed Land with a pale face and a chaotic aura. Faint traces of scales marred his exposed skin, and even his fingernails were lengthening at a visible rate.
"Demonic Transformation!" Azure Phoenix, standing beside Yang Kai, let out a sharp cry.
The Ancestral Land was the origin of all Sacred Spirits between heaven and earth, containing a peculiar power of immense benefit to their growth and reproduction.
But for beings who were not Sacred Spirits, that very power could be a deadly poison.
Azure Phoenix had told Yang Kai about this before. That was why only Sacred Spirits—or those who carried the blood of Sacred Spirits—could survive within the Ancestral Land.
A pure human martial artist could not remain here for long. Once the land's power侵蚀ed into one's body, the consequences would be dire: demonic transformation.
Yet as an Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivator, Lord Shengyang's strength was incomparably formidable. He had been inside the Demon-Sealed Land for no longer than it took an incense stick to burn, yet the Ancestral Land's power had already corroded him to the point of showing clear signs of transformation.
One could only imagine how overwhelmingly dense the Ancestral Land's power was within the Demon-Sealed Land—so potent that even someone of Lord Shengyang's caliber could not withstand it.
Thus, seeing him in such a wretched state, most Sacred Spirits were not alarmed but delighted. The denser the power within the Demon-Sealed Land, the greater the benefit for them.
"What's inside?" Kun Ao asked, staring at Shengyang.
While struggling to resist the corrosive power seeping into his body, Shengyang shook his head. "It's too vast—I couldn't survey it all. But for Sacred Spirits like you, there shouldn't be any danger. Kun Ao, I need to leave—now!"
Before entering the Demon-Sealed Land, the Ancestral Land's power had been continuously eating away at him, but with his abilities he could have shrugged it off easily. Now that things had reached this point, if he didn't leave immediately, the demonic transformation would become irreversible, and he would end up as some half-human, half-monster abomination.
Kun Ao stared at him for a long moment, as though trying to determine whether he was lying. After a beat, he barked: "Kun Yu!"
The white-robed young man who had clashed with Yang Kai on several occasions before appeared in a flash.
"See him out!" Kun Ao waved his hand. His manner might be domineering, but he was not one to break his word.
"Yes!" Kun Yu accepted the order and gestured toward Lord Shengyang.
Shengyang snorted coldly, turned, and departed without a moment's hesitation—not willing to linger here a second longer. Before leaving, however, he cast a glance at Yang Kai, his expression unreadable.
He had chased Yang Kai deep into this Ancestral Land over the Heaven and Earth Spring. Now, not only had he failed to obtain it, but he'd ended up in this wretched state. What rotten luck.
Now that Yang Kai had fallen into the Ancestral Land, forget the Heaven and Earth Spring—his identity as a Dragon Clan member alone was enough to give Shengyang serious pause.
Had he known Yang Kai was of the Dragon Clan from the start, he never would have waded into these waters.
After Kun Yu saw Lord Shengyang off, Kun Ao turned his burning gaze toward the massive, open gates and broke into a grin. "Well, what does everyone say?"
With Lord Shengyang having returned safely and confirmation that nothing dangerous lurked inside, many of the Sacred Spirits were already restless, barely able to contain themselves—though they held back somewhat, unwilling to seem too eager while the Phoenix and Kun clans had yet to move.
Azure Phoenix spoke up: "The seal has already been opened. We might as well go in and have a look."
Kun Ao grinned. "Then this lord shall go first and scout the path!" So saying, he beckoned and led the Kun clan's numerous experts in a dive straight through the gates, vanishing from sight.
The other Sacred Spirits could hold back no longer. One after another, they surged forward and followed inside. In the blink of an eye, only the Phoenix clan remained.
Azure Phoenix looked down at Yang Kai. "How are you?"
Yang Kai shook his head. "Nothing serious."
"What are your plans going forward? If you'd like to leave, I can have someone escort you out of the Ancestral Land."
Yang Kai looked up at the sealed gates. "I'd like to go inside and take a look."
Azure Phoenix nodded. "You helped open the seal, so there's no harm in having a look. But stay close to us—don't go wandering off on your own."
"This junior understands. Thank you, Senior." Yang Kai gave a nod.
Azure Phoenix then led the Phoenix clan's formidable group through the gates in a grand procession.
The moment they stepped into the Demon-Sealed Land, a vast world filled their vision. Strictly speaking, this realm was not so different from the Ancestral Land outside—the sole distinction being that the power of the Ancestral Land flowing through it was incomparably dense.
Every member of the Phoenix clan involuntarily drew a deep breath. Stimulated by the power, their clear, resonant cries rang out one after another as each revealed their true form—Phoenixes of varying colors—spreading their wings and soaring through the skies.
Yang Kai felt his body and mind ease as well. A sensation washed over him, like that of a wanderer who had been away for years finally returning home. His weakened body regained some vitality, and his entire being filled with a deep sense of satisfaction.
"This place... is still the Ancestral Land," Azure Phoenix murmured, surveying the surroundings.
She had lived in the Ancestral Land for countless years and naturally understood its conditions. The realm beyond the sealed gates was still the Ancestral Land—fundamentally no different from the outside.
Yuan Zhu spoke thoughtfully: "During the primordial age, did the Dragon and Phoenix clans sever the Ancestral Land? Turning this part of it into the Demon-Sealed Land?"