"You need not worry. This old man is merely conveying a message on behalf of my master."
The old knight's words took Ye Chen by surprise, but he did not let down his guard, remaining cautious and respectful as he replied earnestly, "What message does the senior have for this junior? I shall listen and obey."
"My master says that today, for the sake of that pagoda upon your head, he will not kill you. However, the Demon God Ruins are not to be violated. Should you dare to trespass again, you will be slain."
The slow, deliberate words carried not a hint of killing intent, yet Ye Chen felt a chill run down his spine. He knew this was no empty threat. The master of the Demon God Ruins would not spare him.
Although merely gazing upon the Demon God Ruins might seem excessive, his offense stemmed more from his position—observing from the highest point in the heavens, looking down from a commanding height, thus violating the dignity of the Demon God Ruins' master. Hence, the punishment.
Today, he owed his life to the Human Sovereign Pagoda.
Ye Chen performed a deep, respectful bow, then turned and left, taking with him the nearly-dead Cang Dragon.
"An interesting little fellow. That pagoda... to think I would see it again after so many years," the old knight murmured to himself. He possessed no overwhelming majesty, appearing ordinary and aged, no different from an old man in the mountains. Yet, none dared to offend him.
The battle fifty thousand years ago had shaken the world, a supreme Heavenly King slain on the spot. Who would dare to provoke him?
Now that he had emerged, countless demonic races within the Huang Gu Demon Domain were trembling in fear. Moreover, even the supreme master of the Demon God Ruins had awakened, having been in deep slumber all this time.
Only after watching the old knight slowly return to the Demon God Ruins, disappearing into the clouds, did Ye Chen finally let out a sigh of relief.
Cang Dragon's injuries were not overly severe, but healing them proved quite troublesome. The gaze shot forth by the Demon God Ruins' master carried a trace of ultimate, fearsome Dao pressure, preventing the wounds from closing and causing continuous bleeding.
However, Ye Chen possessed the Divine King Rebirth Art. Activating this peerless healing technique and using Faith Power to expel that wisp of Dao will, he fully restored Cang Dragon within half a day.
"Many thanks, Master, for saving me. Cang Dragon is eternally grateful and will go through fire and water for you, unafraid of ten thousand deaths."
Cang Dragon hurriedly expressed its gratitude, its heart still harboring lingering fear. The previous events had been too terrifying; had Ye Chen not been present, it would have undoubtedly perished. Its awe and dread towards the Demon God Ruins, this Forbidden Zone of Life, grew even stronger.
Ye Chen, too, was deeply shaken. The terror of the Demon God Ruins far exceeded his imagination. It was not comparable to the Forbidden Zones of Life within the Ancient Lan World; it was countless times more terrifying.
A mere gaze had nearly killed him. That mysterious old knight was an ancient recluse who had slain a Heavenly King fifty thousand years ago. An old knight, suspected to be an ancient Great Sage, stood guard. What kind of existence, then, must the master of the Demon God Ruins be?
Ye Chen had a feeling that the master of the Demon God Ruins might even be an existence from the Primordial Times, having lived for an unfathomably long age.
From then on, he intended to leave the Huang Gu Demon Domain. Naturally, Cang Dragon would follow Ye Chen, venturing into the outside world.
Following the information left by the Corpse Devouring Insect Emperor, Ye Chen rode Cang Dragon eastward. Sure enough, after five hundred thousand miles, they reached the edge of the Huang Gu Demon Domain and could already sense the bustling aura of the outside world.
Naturally, Ye Chen could not allow Cang Dragon to appear in its dragon body.
Cang Dragon transformed with a shake, becoming a middle-aged man dressed in blue robes, appearing honest and stalwart.
Due to his inherent caution and the Corpse Devouring Insect Emperor's mention in the Memory Jade, after entering the outside world, Ye Chen did not make a grand entrance. On the contrary, he prepared to integrate himself quietly, beginning to learn about the various aspects of the Ancient Emperor Realm.
"Hmm?"
Ye Chen suddenly let out a sound of surprise, stopping at the edge of the demonic forest. In a clearing ahead, several young figures rushed out swiftly—three men and three women.
They appeared to be only in their early twenties, yet all could fly through the air. The weakest among them was at least a Demigod.
However, this group seemed to be fleeing from pursuers, their clothes slightly disheveled and somewhat bedraggled, yet they did not lose their inherent grace and bearing. Clearly, they were all young talents from notable forces.
Especially one of the young women, who could be called a peerless beauty. She was as beautiful as jade, around twenty years old, with deep blue hair cascading like a waterfall and skin like congealed fat.
Her jade-like face was as fair and sparkling as a lotus blossom, delicate and flawless. Her eyes held autumn waters, deep and clear like a rippling spring.
Her figure was enchanting, with full, ample peaks and a slender, supple waist seemingly too slim to grasp. Her elegant, splendid robes accentuated her alluring curves, outlining a wonderfully soft silhouette that drew the eye irresistibly.
Her presence was a brilliant sight in this demonic forest.
Among the six, she seemed to be the leader, guiding the others as they rushed out. Their movements were swift yet light, possessing a unique, graceful charm. However, the six were greatly startled upon seeing Ye Chen, not expecting anyone else to be here.
Who would have thought that in this dangerous demonic forest, there would be others, and only two at that? It was practically suicidal.
"Fellow Daoists, leave quickly! A Black Scales Giant Python is chasing us from behind. Flee in another direction. It has only locked onto our auras. If you get far enough away, you'll be safe," the leading blue-haired young woman transmitted via voice transmission, her voice urgent yet melodious and pleasant.
Ye Chen was slightly taken aback. A Black Scales Giant Python?
At that moment, a terrifying roar came from behind the six, shaking the mountain forest. From afar, a Black Scales Giant Python thicker than a house could be seen charging rapidly, its eyes blood-red and filled with fury as it pursued the six.
"Run!"
Perhaps seeing Ye Chen and Cang Dragon's stunned expressions and thinking they were too frightened to move, the young woman felt a pang of guilt. She swiftly descended from the sky, sending out two gentle pulses of force with her left and right hands, intending to push them far away from this place so the Black Scales Giant Python would not detect their presence.
The other five behind her sighed softly upon seeing this action. While they somewhat disagreed with the young woman's move, they did not blame her.
It was precisely her pure and kind nature that made them trust and follow her so wholeheartedly.
However, when the two gentle pulses of force brushed against Ye Chen and Cang Dragon, they instinctively reacted, giving a slight tremble that dissipated the energy.
Witnessing this, the other five almost simultaneously cursed Ye Chen and Cang Dragon for their ingratitude. The young woman was slightly shocked, for although the two pulses she sent contained little offensive power, they should not have been dispersed so easily. Without a cultivation at the Divine Transformation Realm, one could not have dissipated them.
Just as she was feeling suspicious, a furious roar echoed. Behind them, vast swathes of forest were completely flattened and crushed as the enormous Black Scales Giant Python caught up.