Hu Bai Tong gently stroked the fur of the young Qiongqi, finding it exceptionally soft. He seemed to have grown fond of the texture, unable to let go.
"A few years ago, I wanted to keep a tabby cat in the yard, but someone disagreed."
Xu Mu, in the Heavenly Palace, sneered disdainfully. He remembered picking up a cat from a graveyard mountain on a whim years ago, only to find it gone the next morning.
Later, Charles had told him that the person disliked small animals at night and had released it.
But looking at the current situation, wasn't he quite enjoying the petting?
"I just want to wipe the dirt off my hands. After four days, how many times have you washed your face?"
Hu Bai Tong frowned, removing his hand from Qiongqi. His hand was indeed much cleaner.
Its fur wasn't actually smooth; rather, it only looked smooth. In reality, it was quite prickly... it could be used as a brush.
"Uh..."
Xu Mu was speechless. This fellow was probably the first to use divine beast fur to wipe his hands since the beginning of time.
...
"Daddy, I'm here!"
Changsun Yuyu responded loudly. She could tell that the person speaking was her father, Changsun Wuji!
"Yuyu, we're here!"
Dozens of figures emerged from the dense fog and descended. The one speaking wore a noble yellow robe, still stained with some blood. It was the patriarch of the Changsun family they had been desperately waiting for.
"Wei Ying!"
He arrived at the scene, automatically ignoring Xu Mu and the young Qiongqi beside him, and went straight to Changsun Yuyu. Then he saw the boy lying unconscious on the ground.
"What happened!"
The man's face turned pale. He quickly helped Changsun Wei Ying up from the ground, injecting his own power to carefully examine the injuries.
"The sea of consciousness has suffered such severe damage, and the internal injuries in the neck are also not optimistic. What exactly happened!"
Changsun Wuji was extremely worried. Anyone else suffering such grave injuries would have died long ago. Although he didn't know why his son was still alive, now that he was here, he would absolutely not stand by and watch him die!
"Bring the Returning Heaven Pill, quickly!"
He roared, reaching his hand backward. An old man immediately trembled and produced a small porcelain bottle from his embrace.
On the East European continent, elixirs, like those with special abilities, were categorized into seven grades, with Level One being the lowest and Level Seven the highest. Within each grade, elixirs were further divided into five types: Common, Good, Excellent, Perfect, and Supreme.
What he held in his hand was a Supreme Returning Heaven Pill from the fourth stage. It had originally been prepared for himself, but now it had to be used on Changsun Wei Ying. Yet, the man showed no hesitation, opening the bottle and directly pouring the pill into the young man's mouth. His power surged, aiding the digestion of the medicine.
After completing all this, Changsun Wuji withdrew his hand, stood up with a pale face, and commanded his subordinates:
"Take good care of them."
"Father, you're finally here," Changsun Yuyu, who had been waiting for a long time, pounced into the man's arms with a wronged cry.
"It's good that you're all alive," the man's voice was hoarse. Although the situation was grim, they had fortunately arrived in time.
"Brother Duan, how is my nephew?"
"No major problem, his sea of consciousness was injured, and he fainted. It's nothing serious."
Duan Xiao, the leader of the Hunter Alliance, looked pleasantly surprised.
After such a long time, he hadn't expected to actually find his disciple. Liu He was still alive!
"Leader, the young master has survived this great calamity and will surely achieve greatness. You can rest assured once we return this time."
Someone from the Hunter Alliance exclaimed.
Several second-stage ability users had ventured deep into West Mountain for nearly three days. Surviving to reach the core region was something few had achieved in decades. If this wasn't destiny, what was?
"They haven't seen you?"
From dozens of meters away, the young Qiongqi trembled and asked in a low voice.
Hu Bai Tong's expression was blank. His concern was overwhelming. These people probably overlooked him.
"They will see me eventually."
"Besides, there are less than five fourth-stage individuals here. You're trembling this much for this?"
Hu Bai Tong held Qiongqi by the scruff of his neck. He could sense the latter's fear; the creature was trembling incessantly.
He knew that even when he had struck this divine beast cub with his Demon God Sword, it had only caused minor cracks in its bones. Was he really that afraid?
"I'm afraid of *you*!" the young Qiongqi thought secretly, then suddenly froze.
"Good sir, I've sensed incredibly terrifying fluctuations not far from here."
"Those people are stronger than my second uncle!"
Little Qiongqi fearfully lowered its body. The fluctuations from each of them were at least two grades higher than his own. One of them, just sensing their presence, made him breathless.
What was happening today? Why had so many human powerhouses suddenly entered West Mountain?
Didn't they fear death?
"Your second uncle..." Hu Bai Tong heard the comparison, then closed his eyes and shook his head.
His range of perception was severely limited, so he hadn't sensed any unusual fluctuations.
However, by logical deduction, this little fellow was third-stage, and his mother was likely at the peak of the fifth stage. His second uncle should also be at that realm, or perhaps at the Half-Step Human King realm.
Had humankind sent powerhouses of this caliber?
"It seems your divine soul is very deceitful. Half-step Human King realm, the powerhouses on the World Ranking have been summoned."
Hearing Xu Mu's words, the Demon God said:
"My clan is naturally in charge of greed, sin, and rage. You humans have too many emotions, so of course, you are easy to deceive."
"However, if only those people have come, it won't be enough to break the seal on that palace."
The Demon God shook his head. That palace, without a key, would be difficult to break through even for him at his peak, requiring extensive preparation.
Now, humankind's strength was far inferior to what it was. To forcefully break through would be a fantasy.
In that case, why did he summon these people? To watch a play?
"If it were me, perhaps I could open it?"
Hu Bai Tong looked down at his hands. When he opened the coffin, the restrictions on the iron chain had no effect on him. He figured the palace would be the same.
"Perhaps. You can try. But you must first ensure you can reach that palace. There are many divine beasts in the vicinity."
Xu Mu nodded. He was well aware that if those divine beasts were at the Half-Step Human King realm, he would have no choice but to turn and flee.
Furthermore, whether he could escape would be a question.
...
"Esteemed fellow Daoist, I hear you saved my daughter and the others. I am Changsun Wuji, and on behalf of the entire Changsun family, I thank you!"
"I am Duan Xiao, representing the Hunter Alliance, and I thank this senior for saving our lives!"
At this moment, those people finally discovered Xu Mu and Qiongqi.
And after Changsun Yuyu's explanation, everyone realized he was the one who had saved them.
Two behemoths of the fourth stage bowed to Xu Mu simultaneously.
"No need to thank me."
Hu Bai Tong replied, his voice calm.
Changsun Wuji, wearing the yellow robe, froze.
He had expected this ability user, dressed sloppily and resembling a wild man, to be an elder, otherwise, how could he have saved his children in such a dangerous place?
But he hadn't expected that judging by the voice, this person sounded like a youth?
"It's all thanks to him that we were able to survive in West Mountain. This senior has been here for a long time."
Changsun Yuyu leaned weakly against her father, exhausted and finally able to rest.
Hearing that Xu Mu had been in West Mountain for a long time, Changsun Wuji was even more shocked. He wondered if this person was a powerful cultivator who had regained his youth, so he spoke even more cautiously:
"May I ask... Esteemed senior, which faction do you belong to?"
"Fate brought us together. Senior has bestowed a life-saving grace upon our Changsun family. If there is anything you need in the future, I will definitely repay senior with all my might. However, before that, I must also know senior's origin so that I may express my gratitude."
Changsun Wuji respectfully cupped his hands, explaining to appease Xu Mu, lest he be displeased.
In truth, regardless of this person's age, he was definitely a strong individual. It was always wise to recruit talented people and befriend powerful individuals.
"Demon Eradication Division."
Hu Bai Tong thought of Yin Shui'er and replied.
"Indeed, a member of the Demon Eradication Division! We are honored, truly honored!"
Upon hearing Xu Mu's identity, everyone became even more respectful.
The status of the Demon Eradication Division deserved respect everywhere. Moreover, the World Ranking powerhouse who had led a group of domain lords into the mountain today was from the Demon Eradication Division.
Although not the fisherman, he was still a supreme being ranked eleventh, having annihilated countless great demons along the way, with over ninety percent of them dispatched with a mere flick of his finger.
"May I ask, senior, my son's injuries..."
Changsun Wuji hesitated for a moment before asking the question.
While treating Changsun Wei Ying's injuries, he discovered that the wounds within his body did not resemble those inflicted by vengeful spirits or great demons. Instead, they were more akin to those caused by humans.
Just as Hu Bai Tong was contemplating how to deceive him, Changsun Wei Ying, who had been unconscious, awoke.
"You cannot open that coffin!"
The youth cried out, flailing his hands wildly in the air, as if experiencing something terrifying.
He was reliving a nightmare.
Within Changsun Wei Ying's sea of consciousness, he was replaying the last scene he had seen on the mural before being controlled by Vilitan.
He clearly remembered the fate of the Demon God, sealed within a coffin.
It was the coffin in their underground palace.
"No... hurry... leave..."
Changsun Wei Ying awoke, his consciousness blurred, his head splitting with pain. He thought he was still in the underground palace.
"My son, you're awake," Changsun Wuji knelt down cautiously, his face filled with concern.
This was the hope for restoring his Changsun family's imperial lineage. How could it be cut short halfway!
"Quick, leave, leave!"
Changsun Wei Ying's brows were furrowed, his face deathly pale. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, clearly indicating he was enduring immense pain. Within his consciousness, countless soul fragments were intertwining, and the actions Vilitan had taken while controlling his body flashed through his mind.
He had grabbed the wild man senior's neck, only to have his head almost kicked off by the other. The battle in the mist, the trembling of the underground palace.
Then, he opened his eyes.
...