The massive iron gate flashing with streaming light and in an open state was like a blazing fire, attracting tens of thousands of demonic cultivators to merge within.
For them, this was a once-in-a-century opportunity. Even if they had to sacrifice their lives for it, they were fearless.
Liu Sinan stood in midair, observing as a bystander watching demonic cultivators surge in like moths to flame, unable to help feeling: “The most difficult thing to control in the world is desire.”
Yes.
The Demon Affinity Land had opened countless times without anyone obtaining the opportunities, and people even lost their lives, yet it repeatedly attracted large numbers of warriors—this was desire’s terrifying aspect.
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
Just then, dozens of streams of light flew from afar, then merged into the iron gate’s vortex at the fastest speed.
Liu Sinan thought: “The Moon Burial Pavilion sent high-level members in again?”
“Whoosh whoosh!”
After another ten-plus minutes, the hundreds of thousands of demonic cultivators gathered around all flew inside. That iron gate first surged with vast demonic energy, then slowly closed from top to bottom, emitting a heavy sound: “My treasure, those with affinity shall obtain it.”
Cold, emotionless.
Although these eight words were spoken each time the gate closed, Liu Sinan still felt fear in his heart, thinking: “Just how strong was the Demon Ancestor back then?”
The heavy voice transmitted throughout the entire Upper Realm. Tonggu Zhenren and Qiye Zhenren who hadn’t come to the scene also heard it. Both had a special feeling—that although they’d heard it countless times, each time they could hear different meanings.
“Even a sentence sealed for a hundred thousand years contains some kind of profound meaning. This is perhaps the formidable aspect of stepping into the Third Step.”
Both their gazes rose with longing for higher realms, but also mixed with some helplessness, because throughout history, powerhouses who could step into that level were few and far between.
Some realms couldn’t be reached just through aptitude and time, so the brothers had been stuck at the peak level for a long time and had long since calmed their mentality. When they had nothing to do, they played chess, took back moves, living quite comfortably.
…
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
Jun Changxiao and the others, enveloped by demonic energy, appeared out of thin air, then found themselves in a dark and desolate environment.
“Sect Master.”
Yao Mengying said: “We’re inside.”
Jun Changxiao stabilized himself and discovered he and his disciples were in barren, cracked earth. Above hung a crescent moon, identical to the pattern that had appeared on the girl’s forehead earlier.
“It’s a bit cold!” Su Xiaomo said, hugging her arms.
This coldness wasn’t the ice attribute condensed by Lu Qianqian, but a coldness coming from the depths of the soul, probably because the surroundings were filled with vast demonic energy.
Fortunately, although the desolate land was full of intense demonic energy, it wasn’t like the Demon Mist Forest affecting souls. Although everyone felt uncomfortable, they could still endure it.
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
Not long after Jun Changxiao and the others entered, demonic cultivators successively appeared in the void, obviously later entrants.
“Old brother.”
Gu Zhaoxi said: “What do we do next?”
“…” Jun Changxiao was speechless: “I want to ask you that.”
Gu Zhaoxi scratched his head: “This is my first time entering.”
The Demon Affinity Land was opportunities the Demon Ancestor prepared for demonic cultivators. Orthodox warriors typically wouldn’t come join the excitement, because they might lose their lives if they weren’t careful.
It could be said that the demonic cultivators entering later had done their homework and came prepared, whereas Jun Changxiao and the others were complete newbies. Their current state was: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
“Hey!”
Gu Zhaoxi grabbed the black-robed elder and inquired: “Do you know?”
“…”
The Moon Burial Pavilion helmsman didn’t speak.
Having been punched once, he was currently in a severely injured state. Even if he knew, he had no strength to speak.
“Old brother.”
Seeing the other party not responding, Gu Zhaoxi said: “This guy is a burden. Might as well just kill him.”
Jun Changxiao said: “He still has uses.”
“Right!”
Gu Zhaoxi slapped his forehead: “We can use him to scam the Moon Burial Pavilion for money!”
“…”
Jun Changxiao was speechless.
Could it be that in old brother’s eyes, all I think about is scamming money?
The system said: “What else?”
Carrying a wounded person was indeed a bit burdensome, so after thinking briefly, Jun Changxiao waved his hand and threw him into the Tianyuan Prison-Suppressing Pagoda, handing him over to the Prison Trio.
“Doudou, Xiao Lü!”
Erya shouted: “We have a guest!”
…
How large was the Demon Affinity Land? It was difficult to measure in person.
However, the fact that hundreds of thousands of demonic cultivators gathering within didn’t appear crowded was enough to show this independent space had quite a scale.
After entering, everyone didn’t randomly wander but continued like devout believers offering prayers.
“Sect Master, what do we do?”
“Follow their example.”
“Okay.”
Jun Changxiao and his disciples imitated others standing in the desolate land, fully demonstrating what it meant to pretend to be part of the crowd.
“Buzz! Buzz!”
After about half an hour, the dark space suddenly trembled, then ten stone gates appeared out of thin air in a relatively elevated area in the distance, their arrangement seemingly embodying some kind of profound meaning.
“It’s here, it’s here!”
Someone excitedly said: “The opportunity gates left by the Demon Ancestor!”
The hundreds of thousands of demonic cultivators gathered around all had eyes that couldn’t help but gleam with greedy luster. Some had even begun moving toward the stone gates.
Many people.
Only ten gates.
To be one step faster into them, everyone went at full power. Inevitably there would be collisions, so eventually it evolved into a massive brawl.
“If I can’t get in, none of you should think about it either!”
“Whoever dares obstruct will die!”
“Brothers, kill our way in!”
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
In an instant, before the ten seemingly indestructible stone gates, various dazzling martial technique lights flashed.
Jun Changxiao was speechless: “They started fighting just like that?”
“Sect Master.”
Yao Mengying said: “There must be opportunities inside the stone gates. Should we go in?”
“We do need to go in, but…” Jun Changxiao stroked his chin: “These ten stone gates may not all have opportunities—perhaps nine contain traps.”
Gu Zhaoxi pointed toward several demonic cultivator groups gathered together in the distance: “They’ve been slow to act. They’re probably considering which gate to enter.”
“Get lost!”
Just then, a deafening roar came from the stone gates.
The demonic cultivators tangled in fighting all stopped, and upon seeing clearly the speaker was a vicious-looking scarred face, they all made way for him.
This was a powerhouse they couldn’t provoke.
The scarred face led his subordinates to the second gate, saying coldly: “The gates won’t disappear. What’s the rush?”
“…”
Everyone muttered inwardly: “The gates won’t disappear, but opportunities are different—once taken they’re gone!”
“Swish!”
The scarred face led his subordinates in first.
At the same time, organized and powerful demonic cultivator teams also successively selected stone gates.
In a short while, all ten stone gates had people enter. Inside there might be traps waiting for them, but under the enormous temptation of opportunities, even mountains of blades and seas of flames had to be braved.
Because various major demonic forces acted first, other demonic cultivators instead calmed down, then began honestly queuing to enter.
“Sect Master.”
Yao Mengying said: “Which gate do we choose?”
Seeing others entering successively, she began getting a bit anxious.
Jun Changxiao wasn’t anxious. Instead, he leisurely took out a compass from his spatial ring, thinking: “Can the Treasure Seeker work here?”
The system said: “You’re using the previous dynasty’s sword to behead this dynasty’s officials.”
“Buzz!”
Just then, the compass that had been infused with intent suddenly flashed with streaming light, then rapidly spun before finally fixing on one direction.
“As expected.”
Jun Changxiao said joyfully: “It works!”
“…”
The system forcibly explained: “Whether previous or current dynasty, as long as the sword is sharp it can still behead.”
“Huh?”
Jun Changxiao discovered the direction given by the compass wasn’t at the ten stone gates, so he asked in surprise: “Could they all be traps?”