The Next Realm

Pei Province Demon Slayer Division, Patrol Hall.

The usually spacious hall was now packed with martial artists.

Si Miaoyin, Ling Yan, and the other inspectors who already belonged to the Patrol Hall were naturally all present.

Even Yang Zhiru sat to one side, silently sipping tea.

At the center of the hall, nearly ten stretchers wrapped in white cloth lay on the ground.

The Patrol Hall Master sat in the seat of honor, his expression somewhat grim.

The Logistics Hall's corpse examiners were carefully inspecting each body.

The sole surviving inspector was likewise lying on a stretcher.

He was already delirious, his face twisted as though he were enduring tremendous agony.

Painful, suppressed groans echoed through the hall.

Logistics Hall physicians attended him on either side, but all they could do was channel True Qi into him.

It only slightly eased his pain and temporarily suppressed the worsening of his condition.

From their expressions, it was clear that they were powerless to truly treat him.

This condition was simply too bizarre; they had never encountered anything like it before.

The corpses bore no external wounds.

It was as though their souls had been struck, their life force drained from within.

The surrounding martial artists all frowned deeply, shocked by the strange and terrifying demonic art.

"According to intelligence from the Flying Eagle Hall, these inspectors who died in the line of duty lost all contact after passing through Youpu City during their patrols."

"Later, a Flying Eagle Hall martial artist caught a distant glimpse of Youpu City while gathering intelligence."

"It can now basically be confirmed..."

"Youpu City has completely fallen into the hands of demons. The city's commoners and martial artists most likely..."

There was no need to finish the sentence; what came next was self-evident.

"When the bodies of these inspectors were found, they had been hung in neat rows from the gate tower of a nearby small city."

"After the city's officers and soldiers saw them, they immediately notified the magistrate. A Flying Eagle Hall member happened to pass by and relayed the information back to the Demon Slayer Division..."

Once the report ended, the surrounding martial artists began discussing it in earnest.

The Patrol Hall Master swept his gaze around the room. "Speak freely, everyone. There is no need for restraint."

"The demons are warning us!"

"They deliberately killed them without devouring the corpses, then hung them from the city walls. This is clearly a provocation and a show of force!"

"We should gather our forces and launch an encirclement campaign against Youpu City!"

The Patrol Hall Master silently listened to the martial artists' discussion.

"Then have you all considered how to deal with such a bizarre method of attack?"

"And who is willing to serve as the vanguard of this encirclement?"

Those words immediately silenced quite a few people. Everyone hemmed and hawed, not daring to state their position.

They truly could not think of any way to deal with such a bizarre method of attack.

The Demon Slayer Division's cultivation arts and martial techniques were almost all focused on physical damage and physical defense.

Put simply, they placed greater emphasis on offensive power and armor.

Their research and foundation in spells and magical resistance were exceedingly shallow and lacking.

They were even more severely deficient in methods for dealing with all manner of strange demonic arts.

Before this, Demon Slayer Division martial artists had almost always relied on overwhelming strength to break ten techniques, using wild fists to beat old masters to death.

If that did not work, they could simply bury the demons beneath sheer numbers.

But now the demons were growing stronger, while the Demon Slayer Division was already stretched thin for manpower.

How could they still afford to mobilize a large number of martial artists to fight in one place?

Were they supposed to ignore everywhere else?

They must not pick up sesame seeds and lose the watermelon!

Ling Yan hesitated briefly. "Could we consider dispatching martial artists of a higher realm?"

The surrounding martial artists began pondering his words.

Quite a few nodded, seemingly finding it a feasible solution.

But Si Miaoyin shook her head. "Among this batch of fallen inspectors, the strongest was already at the Profound Realm Third Layer."

"A martial artist at the Profound Realm Third Layer had no ability to resist such an attack whatsoever."

"If their realm were a few layers higher, would they truly be able to withstand it?"

"We already lack manpower. Do not send more martial artists to their deaths for nothing!"

"If we want to be safe, the martial artists we send must at least be above the Profound Realm!"

Above the Profound Realm!

At those words, the many martial artists fell silent again.

Martial artists above the Profound Realm were Hall Master-level martial artists among the Demon Slayer Division's eight halls!

It was practically the same as saying the Hall Masters should personally take action.

But surely they could not truly have the Hall Masters go in person?

Dispatching martial artists of a higher realm might indeed solve the problem.

But they must not forget that the demon emperors among the demons were not mere decorations either!

They had always restrained one another. If they moved, would the other side simply sit idly by?

Difficult!

For a time, the situation once again fell into a deadlock, with no one knowing what to do.

Yang Zhiru took a light sip of tea. As the Purification Hall Master, the head of the Demon Slayer Division's strongest branch, he naturally had a way to solve the problem. Even if they had to rely on overwhelming strength to break ten techniques, the martial artists under his command could manage it!

But as had been said before, it was indeed too costly. If things went wrong, they could lose many martial artists.

Training an outstanding martial artist was no easy task. To lose them like this was truly not worth it!

In just one month, Li Xuanxiao had set out on the journey back.

Three Profound Realm Demon Kings, along with the many Apex Realm Great Demons under each of them, had provided him with a considerable number of Demon Points.

After completing those three missions, he had not immediately returned. Still wanting more, he had wandered around outside for several more rounds.

And he had truly reaped an unexpected delight, killing several more Profound Realm Demon Kings!

There were nearly a hundred Apex Realm Great Demons!

His Demon Points had also gradually accumulated in the process.

Why bother with missions? I can just wander around outside!

Li Xuanxiao thought to himself, then immediately rejected the idea.

After all, aside from Demon Points, he also needed Contribution Points to exchange for more cultivation arts and martial techniques.

After consuming 3,000 Demon Points, Ancient Subtle Life Lotus had reached the Sublimity Realm!

The Demon Points in his possession shrank drastically in an instant, while his realm rose once more.

From the Profound Realm Eighth Layer, he reached the Profound Realm Peak!

The True Qi within his body, once like dense mist, actually began transforming into an even thicker liquid state!

Holy shit!

Li Xuanxiao was startled. The last time this strange change had happened was the last time!

Pah!

It was when he had advanced from the Profound Realm to the Apex Realm!

And the reason the Apex Realm was a qualitative leap above the Profound Realm was because True Qi was a dimensionality-crushing blow against internal force!

Now that this transformation had appeared again, it meant that...

The new form of power about to emerge would likewise be a dimensionality-crushing blow against True Qi!

To put it plainly, once he reached the next realm—

His strength would once again undergo an earth-shattering rise!

What would this new form of power be called?

And what was the next realm?

Li Xuanxiao's heart surged with excitement and anticipation!

He summoned the system and continued adding points.

After consuming 500 Demon Points, My Buddha Illuminates Seal had entered the Greater Mastery realm!

After consuming 500 Demon Points, Pure Lotus Bloom had entered the Greater Mastery realm!

He opened his personal panel again.

Host: Li Xuanxiao

Realm: Profound Realm Peak

Cultivation Arts: Evergreen Art (Sublimity Realm), Apex—Myriad Manifestations Violet Zenith Art (Sublimity Realm), Profound—Ancient Subtle Life Lotus (Sublimity Realm)

Martial Techniques: Focused Spirit Slash (Sublimity Realm), Soaring Hawk Nine Steps (Sublimity Realm), Myriad Blades Annihilation Saber (Sublimity Realm), Apex—Silent Heart Sutra (Sublimity Realm), Apex—Ride the Wind (Sublimity Realm), Profound—My Buddha Illuminates Seal (Greater Mastery), Profound—Pure Lotus Bloom (Greater Mastery), Profound—Rainbow Light Travel (Greater Mastery)

Demon Points: 300