The moment they stepped through the stone gate, it felt as if they had entered another world—a sensation identical to when they had suddenly passed from Bountiful Snow Pavilion into the Miasma Forest during the Second Selection. Before them lay a desolate land, devoid of any human presence, with narrow, tall stone tablets erected everywhere. At a glance, the expanse seemed endless.
Lei Xiuyuan frowned as soon as he entered and murmured, "Countless strands of Demon Qi here. This is indeed a place where Monstrous creatures are sealed."
Li Fei noticed that the narrow stone tablets seemed to bear inscriptions and stepped closer to examine them. The engravings differed greatly from ordinary tombstones in the mortal world, with varying calligraphic styles—some in seal script, others in wild cursive.
"Golden Phoenix Lake, Snake Demon Shi Zhan, sealed for two hundred years, one hundred eighty-three," she murmured, reading the words on one tablet. Another bore similar inscriptions—place names paired with monster names, along with the duration of the seal and a few numbers, likely indicating how many years had already passed.
Lei Xiuyuan remarked, "These Demons have names. That's extraordinary."
"What do you mean?"
He explained, "I've read some tales of the supernatural. Though countless Demons exist between heaven and earth, few can speak human language. Typically, they must cultivate to a certain level before gaining speech and sentience. From the moment they can speak, they are bestowed a name—unique and granted by heaven. Most of the Demons sealed here have names, meaning they are all Great Demons with considerable cultivation."
Li Fei couldn't help but think of Ri Yan. He could speak like a human and was just as intelligent—perhaps even more so. His name was Ri Yan, but she didn't know if it was his true name.
"Were they sealed because they did evil things?"
Lei Xiuyuan shook his head. "Not necessarily. More often, it's for refining Mystical Treasures. Demons often require human essence and blood for their cultivation, while Celestials rely on Demons' fur, bones, marrow, and Demon Qi to forge their treasures. It's mutual plunder."
Human essence and blood?! Did that mean they ate people? Ji Tongzhou had been taken by a monster—could he still be alive?
Lei Xiuyuan walked ahead and soon spotted a large pit. A sealing tablet lay broken in two at the bottom, the fractures appearing fresh. He scooped up a handful of soil and sniffed it—the stench of Demon Qi clinging to it was nauseating.
With so many Monstrous creatures sealed here, it was inevitable that some would break free when their seals expired. The founders of the Academy likely couldn't manage them all, hence the mechanical stone gate locking the sealing grounds. This time, the children had accidentally opened it, just as a Demon had broken free and escaped. Ji Tongzhou, who had fallen into the pit earlier and bore the most wounds, must have attracted the Demon with the scent of blood still fresh on his clothes.
"The Demon Qi heads east, mixed with the scent of that woman from the East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly. Since we've caught up, Ji Tongzhou should be safe. Let's follow."
The two children raced eastward. After running for some time, they suddenly heard A Jiao's voice ahead: "Good, this child is only unconscious, unharmed."
They hurried toward the sound and saw Mo Yanfan standing poised with his sword on an open patch of land. Before him swirled a formless Demon, wreathed in black mist. Behind him, A Jiao had just picked up the unconscious Ji Tongzhou. Spotting the two children barging in, their expressions darkened.
"Get out!" Mo Yanfan's brows furrowed. "Who told you to come in here?"A Jiao held Ji Tongzhou with one hand while shielding the two children with the other, pushing them forward. "This is no place for brats like you. Come with me," she said.
Ji Tongzhou's eyes were tightly shut, his face pale with a bluish tint. Blood trickled steadily from his nose, and faint wisps of purple-black miasma seeped from his facial features. Li Fei was shocked—he had been injured by the miasma! But he was wearing that string of Amulet Beads—how could the miasma harm him?
Only then did she notice the beads on his wrist no longer emitted their faint glow. When she lightly touched them, the entire strand broke apart, scattering to the ground. Picking up one bead, she saw a crack running through the marble-sized pearl, its once-clear spiritual energy completely dissipated.
The miasma in the Restricted Area was too dense—even the Amulet Beads couldn't withstand it and had shattered. No wonder Ji Tongzhou had been taken by the monsters. Li Fei gathered all the beads carefully, unwilling to discard them despite their uselessness. She had always felt a fondness for the kindly Dongyang Zhenren.
Behind them, Mo Yanfan formed a sword seal and engaged the black mist demon in combat. Immortal Techniques couldn't be used in the Restricted Area, so even an elite disciple like Mo Yanfan could only fight the monstrous creature hand-to-hand. Fortunately, his swordsmanship was exceptionally sharp and refined—far beyond the flashy forms he had taught them.
Yet without spiritual energy imbued in his blade, no matter how masterful his techniques, he couldn't harm the demon at all. Fighting while retreating, Mo Yanfan shouted urgently, "A Jiao! Take the disciples and go first!"
A Jiao grabbed Li Fei and Lei Xiuyuan, sprinting forward at full speed while gnashing her teeth in frustration. "You meddlesome brats! If not for you, I could've helped Yanfan! I'll tan every one of your hides when we get out!"
She didn't seem entirely bad—nor did Mo Yanfan. Due to Zhen Yunzi's actions, Li Fei had harbored deep disgust for Star Rectitude Hall, extending that dislike to Mo Yanfan as well. These two could have easily abandoned the troublesome children and fled alone—especially since A Jiao had committed the crime of impersonating an Academy teacher. Yet they chose to protect the young cultivation disciples despite the danger. Li Fei suddenly realized how shallow her judgment had been, viewing people through such narrow lenses.
From Green Mound to the Academy, she had encountered countless individuals with wildly varying personalities—some she disliked, others she found endearing. But people couldn't be judged as simply good or bad based on isolated traits. Take Lei Xiuyuan—he had harmed her, yet also protected her. To define him solely by one aspect would be terribly biased.
The same went for Zhen Yunzi. She had disliked him for his cold demeanor and sharp words, then thought him kind when he spoke gently, only to finally understand the truth later.
Master, people are truly complex. I really am still too naive. Li Fei sighed inwardly. Glancing back, she saw Mo Yanfan still battling the demon, gradually losing ground. She spoke up immediately, "Sister A Jiao, go help Mr. Mo! I'll carry Ji Tongzhou—we can find our own way out!"
"Truly go alone? Then hurry! Don't look back!" A Jiao urged anxiously.
No sooner had Li Fei hoisted Ji Tongzhou onto her back than the impatient woman dashed back into the fray. Her weapons were two gleaming daggers, and her movements were exquisitely precise. With her joining the fight, Mo Yanfan's pressure eased considerably.
"Let's go quickly," Li Fei whispered. "Do you remember the way?""Here." Without wasting words, Lei Xiuyuan grabbed her sleeve and swiftly led her past several stone tablets. They hadn't run far when a metallic, cleaving roar echoed behind them—much closer this time than when they'd heard it faintly outside the gates.
The two children turned to look and were stunned to see an enormous Golden Lion looming behind them, its golden fur gleaming like liquid metal. Each of its claws was thicker than a human thigh, making it even larger than Ri Yan when they'd first encountered him in Green Mound.
Stranger still, a small black stone pagoda hovered three feet above the Golden Lion's back. Unlike the scattered stone tablets, this pagoda seemed reinforced with an immensely powerful Seal, radiating a dazzling array of colors in the darkness of the Restricted Area.
The Golden Lion let out a low growl before suddenly swiping a paw at the black mist Demon. The movement was almost lazy, yet the Demon cowered in terror, frozen in place as the massive paw slammed it to the ground. Then, with a snap of its jaws, the Golden Lion clamped the Demon between its teeth.
Mo Yanfan whispered, "This Golden Lion must be a Mystical Beast raised here by the Academy's founder. Fortunately, it arrived in time. Let's leave quickly."
A Jiao gasped. "What? You call this hideous lion monster a Mystical Beast?"
Suddenly, her eyes locked onto the floating black pagoda on the lion's back, and she shrieked, "That—that's the aura of a Nine-tailed Spirit Fox! How dare you Seal a Nine-tailed Spirit Fox!"
Nine-tailed… Spirit Fox? Li Fei blinked. This was the first time she'd heard someone refer to Ri Yan that way. Though "Fox Demon" and "Spirit Fox" differed by just one word, the implications were worlds apart. And what was this about the pagoda sealing a Nine-tailed Spirit Fox? Ri Yan was safely asleep inside her—he wasn't sealed at all!
Mo Yanfan sighed. "Must we argue over semantics now? Let's go!"
"You—!" A Jiao's face twisted with anger, but she swallowed her fury. After one last reluctant glance at the pagoda, she turned and sprinted away.
The Golden Lion, still gripping the black mist Demon in its jaws, let out another metallic growl before suddenly clamping down. The Demon shrieked as it was swallowed whole. The beast's cold golden eyes fixed on the fleeing group, and with another roar, its massive body lunged forward, landing heavily in front of them with a thunderous crash. The impact sent the two children tumbling to the ground.
A Jiao's expression darkened. "What does this lion monster want? To block our way?!"
The Golden Lion stared at her for a long moment, then slowly opened its maw, revealing rows of dagger-like fangs. Mo Yanfan paled and lunged at A Jiao, shouting, "Focus and resist!"
But it was too late. The Golden Lion unleashed an earth-shaking roar, as if countless thunderbolts had struck the ground at once. The deafening sound dragged on endlessly, lasting for what felt like an eternity before finally ceasing.
Li Fei's ears rang painfully as she clamped her hands over them. Then, suddenly, a weight slumped against her—Xiu Yuan collapsing limply onto her shoulder. She caught him, bewildered. "What's wrong with you...?"Before she could finish speaking, she looked down and saw blood gushing from his facial features, his face deathly pale as if he had suffered severe injuries. Li Fei gasped in shock, exclaiming, "Hey! What's wrong with you? Lei Xiuyuan?!"
His eyelashes trembled in pain as he slowly opened his eyes, his voice barely a whisper, "Quick... run... this Golden Lion is too powerful..."
Before he could finish, he fainted once more.
Li Fei looked around in horror—Ji Tongzhou beside her was also bleeding from his features, while Mo Yanfan and A Jiao ahead had collapsed to the ground, motionless, their fate unknown. All of this... just because the Golden Lion had roared once? Why was she unharmed? Why was she the only one left standing?!
As the Golden Lion approached, Li Fei, in desperation, threw herself to the ground, pretending to be dead. Her heart pounded wildly in her throat—what should she do now? She was the only one still conscious. Should she watch as everyone here was devoured? Or flee alone to save herself?
The Golden Lion strode arrogantly to A Jiao’s side, lowering its head to sniff her. A displeased growl rumbled in its throat, its sharp teeth bared—it seemed intent on swallowing her whole, just like it had with that Demon.
Was it really going to kill her?! Li Fei could bear it no longer. She leaped up and shouted, "Stop!"
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