The treasure-seeking device purchased from the Lower Realm for use in the Planar Battlefield proved surprisingly functional in the Demon Origin Land, much to Jun Changxiao’s surprise. Even more unexpected was that the direction it indicated didn’t point toward any of the ten stone gates, meaning there was nothing inside them.

If that was the case, why display them at all?

Wasn’t the Demon Ancestor who created this opportunity deliberately setting a trap?

“As expected.”

Jun Changxiao thought to himself: “The world of peak-level powerhouses is truly difficult to comprehend.”

“That’s normal.”

The system said: “If it could be found easily, it wouldn’t be called an opportunity—it’d be called cabbage flooding the streets. So if future generations want to obtain an inheritance, how could they do so without paying an enormous price?”

“For example, Host, if one day you knew you were about to kick the bucket and needed someone to inherit your martial arts, you’d definitely set up complex opportunities to make things difficult for them too.”

“Are you cursing me to die?”

“It’s a metaphor!”

Jun Changxiao said: “If it were me, I’d definitely make this kind of opportunity place more interesting rather than rigidly and conventionally making future generations choose.”

Though he was conversing with the system, in reality he wasn’t idle—after carefully observing the compass position, he led his disciples in the opposite direction from the stone gates.

“Sect Master.”

Yao Mengrao asked in confusion: “Where are we going?”

“Don’t talk.”

Jun Changxiao said: “Just follow.”

Yao Mengying quickly closed her mouth. Though she had a hundred questions in her heart, she didn’t voice them.

Li Qingyang and the others, not being demon cultivators, had a very normal mindset and didn’t mind at all where the Sect Master was taking them.

“Old brother.”

Gu Zhaoxi looked at the compass and said: “What is this thing?”

“Treasure-seeking device.”

Jun Changxiao said: “My master gave it to me.”

Gu Zhaoxi cast an envious glance.

Having mixed around the Upper Realm for so long, he’d always struggled and worked hard alone, with no master to provide help.

Brother!

I’m jealous!

The position shown on the compass was in the northwest direction, so Jun Changxiao led the group walking that way. After traveling for roughly half an hour, the flashing frequency of the light accelerated, representing that they were already very close to the treasure.

“Strange.”

“We’re clearly very close, but why is there nothing here?”

Jun Changxiao was still in a barren wasteland, with nothing around except moonlight and demonic energy.

“Buzzing!”

However, after walking a few more steps, as if touching an invisible barrier, space immediately rippled with waves.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”

Just then, an even larger stone gate appeared before them, with concentrated demonic energy blowing out from inside, causing Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and the others to involuntarily shiver.

Jun Changxiao looked down at the compass and discovered the light’s pulsing frequency had accelerated, so he said happily: “It should be inside.”

“Let’s go!”

Everyone entered one after another.

At this time, the demon cultivators queuing in the distance also discovered a larger stone gate appearing behind them. After brief consideration, they immediately surged over.

“As expected!”

A black-robed elder said: “A hidden gate exists!”

Through the many times the Demon Origin Land had opened over the years, many demon cultivators entered but few came out. However, after countless iterations, experience was inevitably summarized, so whether the ten stone gates actually contained opportunities had always been suspected by the world.

Now, Jun Changxiao had used the treasure-seeking device to cheat, triggering the invisible hidden gate, which also confirmed many people’s speculations.

…

Inside the stone gate was a deep, long tunnel with walls the color of crimson red, as if painted with fresh blood.

Jun Changxiao led his disciples through it, but with each step they took, their souls seemed to be eroded by some kind of power, and they began to feel increasingly light-headed.

“Old brother!”

Gu Zhaoxi exclaimed: “The demonic energy here will disturb the mind—we must not be careless…”

“Whoosh!”

Before he finished speaking, he’d already lost his rationality.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a fragrant mountain forest filled with birdsong and flowers.

“What’s going on?”

“I just felt like I had a dream!”

Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and the others were also nearby. They looked at each other with confusion in their eyes.

Wait!

Where were the Sect Master and Junior Martial Sister?

Everyone was in the mountain forest except for Jun Changxiao and Yao Mengying.

“Don’t panic!”

Gu Zhaoxi closed his eyes, sensed for a moment, then said: “This isn’t reality—this is a dreamscape!”

“Dreamscape?”

Everyone looked bewildered.

Gu Zhaoxi said: “The demonic energy just disturbed our minds and brought them into a kind of illusory scene. The Sect Master and that girl didn’t enter because they must have resolved it beforehand.”

“Boom!”

Suddenly, Ye Xingchen punched Su Xiaomo in the stomach and said: “Does it hurt?”

“…It doesn’t hurt!”

“It really is a dreamscape!”

“Wait, couldn’t you have punched yourself instead of me?”

…

As Gu Zhaoxi guessed, they had already fallen into some kind of dreamscape, while in reality they stood dumbfounded in the tunnel.

“Exhale!”

Jun Changxiao, standing beside them, released a breath of turbid air.

He hadn’t been disturbed by the demonic energy because Little Fire and Little Evil had joined forces to gang up on the demonic energy that had invaded his consciousness.

“This is bad.”

“They’ve been affected.”

Seeing Gu Zhaoxi, Li Qingyang, and the others with vacant eyes, Jun Changxiao was about to step forward to grasp their pulses and have Little Evil and Little Fire help them resolve it, when he suddenly noticed Yao Mengying standing in the middle with tears streaming down her face.

Damn it!

They actually made my adorable disciple cry!

Unforgivable!

Jun Changxiao walked over and grasped Yao Mengying’s pulse with one hand. Just as he was about to use the two spiritual bodies to help her escape the demonic energy’s disturbance, his head suddenly buzzed and he instantly became dumbfounded.

A moment later.

He seemed to awaken from a dream, suddenly finding himself under the setting sun. He slowly raised his head and saw before him a dilapidated building, with the broken plaque faintly showing the two characters ‘Tiegu.’

Boom!

Jun Changxiao felt as if struck by lightning, his whole person instantly stupid.

Because that dilapidated building was precisely the sect’s main hall after Li Qingyang’s multiple renovations!

He stiffly turned his head, realizing he was standing in the martial arts training ground. The surrounding buildings had all been destroyed, disciples’ corpses lay scattered all around, and blood had converged into rivers.

Jun Changxiao’s heart felt as if stabbed by a sharp blade, and his entire face gradually contorted.

Who was it!

Who destroyed my sect!

The blood in Jun Changxiao’s body seemed to ignite. Endless fury erupted as he summoned all his trump cards—the Unstoppable Blade, the stone statues, and more!

At that moment, standing in the ruined sect under the setting sun, he was like a thoroughly enraged demon who could plunge the entire world into eternal darkness at any moment.

“Host, calm down!”

Just then, the system’s voice rang in his ear: “This is a dreamscape!”

Dreamscape?

I’m having a nightmare?

The system said: “To be precise, Host is in Yao Mengying’s dreamscape.”

“Wuwuwu!”

Suddenly, crying sounds came from beside him.

The now-calm Jun Changxiao quickly turned to look and saw Yao Mengying kneeling in a pool of blood, holding Liu Wanshi’s corpse, tears streaming down like rain as she cried out: “Senior Martial Sister, wake up!”

Though reminded by the system that this was just a dreamscape, seeing this scene still caused intense pain in his heart.

“Step!”

Just then, a person wearing a black robe walked over, stopped in front of Yao Mengrao, and said in an icy voice: “Crying is a coward’s behavior. Stand up and come with me.”

“You… who are you…”

“Someone who can change your destiny.”

“I won’t go. I want to wait for the Sect Master to return!”

“That fellow is already dead. You’re the only survivor of Eternal Sect.”

The black-robed elder grew somewhat impatient, enveloping Yao Mengying with energy, preparing to forcibly take her away regardless of whether she agreed.

However, just as he prepared to fly away, a hand suddenly pressed on his shoulder.

“Old bastard.”

Jun Changxiao stood behind him with a cold face: “Release my disciple.”

The black-robed elder turned around quite bewildered: “You… how can you enter someone else’s dreamscape?”

“I’m very curious.”

Jun Changxiao said: “How can you enter as well?”

“Swish!”

Suddenly, an over-the-shoulder throw directly slammed the black-robed elder to the ground. Then, channeling power into his fist, he roared: “Whether it’s reality or dreamscape, whoever the hell dares bully my disciples, I’ll damn well kill them!”

“Boom boom boom!”

“Boom boom boom!”

Though it was a dreamscape, the fight was very real, each punch landing solidly—in one word, satisfying!

After a wild bombardment, the mysterious black-robed elder was instantly beaten into a wisp of demonic energy. The surrounding space immediately collapsed, and the two of them instantly escaped the dreamscape and returned to reality.

“What… what’s happening?” Yao Mengying asked in a daze, tears in her eyes.

“Ah!”

“Sect Master, why are you riding on Martial Uncle!”

In the dreamscape, Jun Changxiao had been beating the black-robed elder, but in reality he had grabbed the nearest Gu Zhaoxi and beaten him severely. The latter’s consciousness was still trapped in the dreamscape, but his body had already been abused until his nose and face were swollen.

No wonder it felt real!

No wonder each punch landed solidly!

—