Demon Spirit Lake

At that moment, Shi Yi's arms had already reached a strength of fifty thousand jin through physical power alone.

If he used the Supreme Bone and circulated the power of the runes within the Divine Radiance in his blood, Shi Yi could unleash even greater strength.

Although he remained far from the Blood Moving Extreme Realm, with an immense distance still to go, he already ranked among the strongest cultivators in the Blood Moving Realm.

After Shi Yuan brought Shi Yi back to the Martial King Manor, the ancestors emerged from seclusion one after another to examine the fruits of his arduous cultivation.

In the end, none of them could suppress their amazement. Was this really a five-year-old child? Before even receiving his five-year-old baptism, he already stood among the strongest in the Blood Moving Realm. Such dazzling accomplishments set their imaginations soaring. Just how far would he go in the future?

"Go. The date agreed upon with the Demon Spirit Lake is drawing near. Set out as soon as possible, lest anything unexpected happen," said the most senior ancestor.

Shi Yuan nodded.

"You must act cautiously on the road and ensure Yi'er's safety," someone urged.

"Yi'er, once you reach the Demon Spirit Lake, be measured in your words and actions. A Primordial Divine Mountain houses beings who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Stone Emperor."

Shi Yi nodded slightly to show that he understood.

Then, under the guidance of Shi Yuan and two ancestors, the four of them set out, leaving the Martial King Manor.

This journey was of immense importance. The four departed in secret, keeping everything simple and avoiding outside attention lest complications spring up along the way.

They traveled without pause, crossing one wilderness after another and leaving the Stone Kingdom's territory far behind.

All three elders remained vigilant, watching their surroundings at every moment. Although they came from a King Marquis-level power, terrifying assassin organizations that did not fear the Martial King Manor still existed in the Desolate Region. At their peak, they had hunted down Venerables, their terror reaching the heavens.

There was no ruling out the possibility that some power, envious of the Martial King Manor, might pay an astronomical price to hire an assassin organization and snuff out the bearer of Double Pupils in his cradle.

Thus, the three dared not relax. Only when they neared the territory of the Demon Spirit Lake did they finally let out a long breath of relief.

The Demon Spirit Lake, as its name suggested, was a vast lake. Blue stretched as far as the eye could see, its waters clear and crystalline, like a sapphire set into the earth.

Along its shores stood a sprawling expanse of magnificent buildings-towering stone palaces and grand halls packed densely beside the lake, visible from far away. That was the destination of their journey: the Primordial Divine Mountain known as the Demon Spirit Lake.

They were still a considerable distance from the shore, yet no traces of living creatures could be seen on the ground around them. Not a soul was in sight, and all was silent.

There was a simple reason for this. A vast area around the Demon Spirit Lake was a forbidden zone for life. Descendants of a Heavenly God dwelled here, and no creature dared approach rashly. Every uninvited visitor who drew near had been mercilessly slain, without exception.

For that very reason, the surroundings of the Demon Spirit Lake had always remained peaceful, and this powerful Primordial Divine Mountain had not even stationed creatures to guard its gates.

The four walked toward the magnificent cluster of buildings. As they approached, the elders involuntarily held their breath, their hearts beginning to race.

Even with a legitimate reason to approach the forbidden zone, they could not calm their hearts.

This was a Primordial Divine Mountain, after all, with no shortage of pure-blooded creatures within.

The fifteenth elder of Shi Yuan's generation, Shi Zhongtian, known as the "Great Demon God," had merely killed a pure-blooded Pixiu, only to be hunted until he had no road to heaven and no gate into the earth, eventually vanishing without a trace. That alone showed how terrifying pure-blooded creatures were.

Now, they were about to meet true pure-blooded creatures.

Of course, not every creature on a Primordial Divine Mountain was pure-blooded. The vast majority had mixed bloodlines, while pure-blooded creatures were generally concentrated within the core lineage.

Shi Yi, following behind the three, remained quite calm. He knew that for a certain period, he would be bound closely to the Demon Spirit Lake. That was unavoidable.

As a Primordial Divine Mountain, a supreme power that had once produced a Heavenly God, the Demon Spirit Lake could offer him considerable help. Without it, Shi Yi would find it difficult to cultivate to the Blood Moving Extreme Realm.

What he needed to do on this journey was simple: he only had to demonstrate his worth before the powerful beings of the Demon Spirit Lake.

Shi Yi's gaze now settled on the surrounding land. Because the Demon Spirit Lake lay here, a vast area around it had become forbidden ground that no creature dared tread. As a result, the region had retained its most primordial state, with ancient medicinal plants that had grown for many years visible everywhere.

Just picking a few would give Shi Yi enough to use for a long time. A Primordial Divine Mountain truly lived up to its reputation. This was a genuine treasure land.

Shi Yi reckoned that in the central territory of the Demon Spirit Lake, in its most important location, there might even be sacred medicines.

At last, the four drew near. The vast blue lake and magnificent ancient buildings passed down from antiquity lay just ahead, and they could already make out figures moving among the structures in the distance.

Suddenly, an indescribable oppressive might swept toward them like a tide, instantly enveloping the four from the Martial King Manor.

In a flash, they felt as though they had plunged into an ice cellar. Their souls trembled beyond their control. Of them all, only Shi Yi could keep his expression unchanged and remain composed. The others had already begun trembling involuntarily, horror showing in their eyes.

Shi Yi's ability to remain calm under such terrifying pressure owed much to his Double Pupils and the Supreme Bone within his chest.

Double Pupils inherently possessed the power to exert pressure; the opening and closing of those eyes alone could cow all living beings. The Supreme Bone was said to possess the might of a supreme being. When Shi Yi encountered oppressive might from outside, both innate gifts would activate automatically, helping him resist it.

Seeing this, the three elders could not help marveling. He truly was a born divine being.

"Oh?"

An exclamation of surprise came from deep within the ancient buildings and reached the ears of all four.

Clearly, the being exerting that terrifying pressure was also surprised by Shi Yi's performance.

"You must be Zi Teng's son, Shi Yi, the bearer of Double Pupils and the Supreme Bone?" an old, utterly cold voice asked.

"Yes. I am Shi Yi. My respects to the senior of the Demon Spirit Lake." Shi Yi nodded and stepped out from behind the three elders. Neither servile nor overbearing, he bowed toward the source of the voice.

"Not bad. Quite interesting. Come closer and let this old man take a good look," the voice sounded again.

Perhaps it was their imagination, but Shi Yuan and the others actually heard the sound of dripping saliva. Thinking of the terrifying race that dwelled in the Demon Spirit Lake, they were filled with worry. Surely this being would not suddenly give in to his savage nature and swallow the future hope of their Martial King Manor in a single bite?

"Yi'er..."

Worried, Shi Yuan forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart and called out to his great-grandson.

"Great-grandfather, it's all right."

Shi Yi spoke softly.

Then he stepped forward, approaching the ancient buildings.

"Heh heh, not bad. A rare and promising seedling, flawless in every respect. It has been a long time since I last saw such an astonishing human," the old voice said with a chuckle.