Spirit Realm

“Little Hui! Look at Little Hui!”

Ling Xuanxuan pointed at a seven or eight year old boy and cried out.

The young boy’s name was Ling Hui. He was carried on his father’s back, and right now, the short hair on Ling Hui’s head was slowly turning purple!

“Little Qi as well!” Ling Feng exclaimed in a low tone.

The pigtails on a girl who was about ten years old was also turning purple little by little!

This sudden change caused both Qin Lie and Song Tingyu to be extremely shocked. Seeing the thick demonic clouds that constantly rushed towards them and the extraordinary changes happening to the two kids, even the most dull-witted person would realize that the strange circumstances of the Ling Family were related to the nether demonic energy.

“Nether demonic energy. It was the nether demonic energy…” Ling Yushi murmured with a look of surprise. “Back at Armament Sect, I felt my blood boil when the evil nether passageway opened up. My hair had also turned purple at that time, but after returning to Seven Fiends Valley, that purple color faded again. It must be because I was too far away from the nether demonic energy…”

“That’s right. The Ling Family’s changes happened after the evil nether passageway opened,” Ling Xuanxuan also said.

“Does everyone feel their blood boiling inside their body right now?” Ling Yushi looked at them.

Ling Xuanxuan, Ling Feng, Ling Yun, and two other small children nodded towards her.

“I see. So we, the Ling Family, are of the evil races. We actually have the blood of an evil race flowing inside our veins…” Ling Yushi lowered her head and suddenly smiled bitterly.

Song Tingyu frowned deeply and suddenly turned silent. Looking at the Ling Family clansmen and the continuously gathering demonic clouds, her gaze was unbelievably complicated.

“Let’s leave this place first!” Qin Lie exclaimed in a low tone. “Let’s go! We’ll go around this area and head for the poisonous bog! Even if the Ling Family borrows the nether demonic energy to return to the evil races, you can use the route between the poisonous bog and Armament Sect!”

He heard before from Song Tingyu that there would be men from Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple patrolling the area. He was worried that the abnormality of the Ling Family would be discovered by someone else.

The border area around the poisonous bog and Armament Sect did not have any men from Profound Heaven Alliance or Eight Extreme Temple patrolling. Therefore, that place was much safer instead.

“Let’s go!” Ling Yushi promptly decided.

Every Ling Family clansman was currently in great shock. They were shocked by their own backgrounds. Currently, they had all lost their determination and looked completely lost. They followed Ling Yushi’s footsteps and marched somewhat numbly.

“Evil race. We are actually an evil race…”

This was the thought of every Ling Family clansman at the moment. The words “evil race” constantly resonated inside their hearts, causing them to feel a little anxious.

For the longest time, in the eyes of Scarlet Tide Continent’s martial practitioners, an evil race was synonymous with cruelty and malice. Every martial practitioner of the Scarlet Tide Continent viewed the evil races of the Nether Realm as a scourge and took pride in slaughtering them.

The Ling Family clansmen were no exception.

Now, they finally realized that they themselves were a part of an evil race, the enemy they hated all this time. How were they going to accept this so quickly?

Therefore, every Ling Family clansman became silent on the road. Even Ling Yushi, Ling Xuanxuan, and Ling Feng were no exception.

They needed time to digest this fact and stabilize their emotions. They needed to consider the Ling Family’s future from an evil race’s point of view.

After they left, clumps of demonic clouds on the other side of the river continued to maintain their forms and did not disperse. It just seemed like the demonic clouds lost their objective and were unable to charge across the river at all costs. Instead, they hovered in the sky above the other side of the river, as if looking for something...

A while later, a pair of Horned Demon warriors arrived while riding on Ghost Birds.

These two Horned Demon warriors had three horns and four horns respectively.

Both of the powerful Horned Demon warriors looked at the demonic clouds that refused to disperse with surprised expressions.

The Horned Demon clansman with three horns thought for a while before speaking in the language of the Nether Realm with a doubtful expression, “Why did the nether demonic energy gather unnaturally like this? Judging from the level of concentration, it was obviously attracted by some kind of power.”

“But no one has been in this area.” The Horned Demon warrior with four horns was also surprised. “Moreover, judging from the looks of this concentration, it looks a little like it was attracted by the blood of a high rank clansman.”

“High rank clansman?” The three horned warrior went blank for a moment before saying, “Brother, what do you mean?”

“I’m obviously talking about individuals with the blood of an Evil God. Only the blood of an Evil God could cause the nether demonic energy to become unnaturally lively and turbulent, causing the nether demonic energy to gather on its own.” The Horned Demon warrior with four horns exclaimed in shock.

“How is this possible? Our entire race does not have a single expert with the blood of an Evil God. Could there be other powerful races of the Nether Realm operating nearby? If there were, they should have contacted us already. Why would they leave after arriving?”

“W-wait, that isn’t it!” The Horned Demon warrior with four horns abruptly shuddered and exclaimed after looking closely for a moment. “Look! These... these demonic clouds are all clumped up! A single clump of demonic cloud represents the attraction force of a single person with the blood of the Evil God, and these demonic clouds are in several clumps. This means… that several people with the blood of the Evil God passed through this place!”

“Brother, you’re spouting nonsense, aren’t you? How could so many people with the blood of the Evil God have passed by?” The Horned Demon warrior with three horns shook his head with a strange look. “I heard from the uncle in our clan that even the biggest clan in the Nether Realm—even the most powerful race did not have very many people with the blood of the Evil God. This Scarlet Tide Continent is but a small place on Spirit Realm. How can experts with the blood of the Evil God of our clan possibly appear at this place? And several of them no less? That would be absurd!”

“It is absurd. Let’s go. We will return immediately and report this abnormality to Lord Ka Meng!”

“Mn.”

……

Inside the poisonous bog, Qin Lie led the Ling Family clansmen towards the deeper area of the poisonous bog.

The Ling Family clansmen were still quiet along the way, with dark expressions on their faces. They still could not accept reality.

Song Tingyu did not speak either. Her eyebrows were stuck, deeply furrowed, as if pondering how to explain this when she met with her father.

At first, she thought that the Ling Family would be of a different foreign race. In that case, it would be slightly easier to manage.

However, now that she confirmed that the Ling Family was definitely related to the Nether Realm and was an evil race of the Nether Realm, the problem had become even more complicated.

Profound Heaven Alliance and the Nether Realm had fought each other for many years. Many experts were killed by the evil races. The hatred between the two sides had long ago become unresolvable.

If her father knew that the Ling Family clansmen had come from the Nether Realm... Considering her father’s views on evil races, even Xue Li’s explanation might not be able to suppress his prejudice.

Not to mention the fact that Profound Heaven Alliance was still at war against the Horned Demon race of the Nether Realm… just how was she going to persuade him?

Song Tingyu felt a terrible headache.

“Hm?!”

Qin Lie exclaimed softly, looking through the poisonous miasma. He saw numerous tall and sturdy wooden buildings at the downside of the poisonous miasma with a wondrous light in his eyes.

There were nearly hundreds of those buildings. Every building was at least three stories tall, and the taller ones reached five or six. They were scattered across the dry land ahead of them.

This scene was infinitely more gorgeous than how it looked when he left half a year ago. He was vaguely able to make out the spectacular sight of Armament Sect prior to evacuating from Flame Volcano.

“Armament Sect truly is Armament Sect. It has only been half a year, but it actually looks like they’ve recovered already.” Song Tingyu stared at the newly built wooden buildings and grew surprised as well. She praised, “These artificers are truly outstanding. It looks like Armament Sect has lived quite well in the poisonous bog during this half year.”

Qin Lie nodded and concentrated on looking ahead of him. He discovered Pan Jueming, who once guarded Icestone City. Then, he understood that the Armament Sect members who were spread out among many large forces had probably returned and gathered here.

These members made up a large number of people in Armament Sect. Their return had instantly replenished Armament Sect’s vitality and caused Armament Sect to once more have an actual scale.

“Qin Lie, your luck is pretty good to be able to become Armament Sect’s sect master. Now it can be said that you have a pretty sizeable force in your hands. As long as this force remains, your importance and right to speak in the Scarlet Tide Continent will be much heavier than before.” Song Tingyu thought for a while before saying seriously, “Gripping this force tightly in your hands is very beneficial to you and the people around you.”

Qin Lie had a pondering look before letting out a long howl and striding towards Armament Sect.

“Who are you?” Before he got close, an outer sect disciple suddenly appeared and looked at him with an unfriendly expression. He scolded, “This is Armament Sect. Those who aren’t related are not allowed to step inside!”

This outer sect disciple had probably come from an Armament Pavilion in another city. He had never seen Qin Lie and thus did not know him.

“I am Qin Lie.”

“Qin Lie?” That person frowned. “Bullshit! Sect M… I mean, everyone knows that Qin Lie and that witch from Profound Heaven Alliance died in the Nether Realm. You couldn’t choose a better fake name to use?”

“Hehe, interesting. It’s only been half a year and you’re already been forgotten.” Song Tingyu chuckled, glanced at Qin Lie, and teased in interest.

“Tell Tong Jihua to come see me!” Qin Lie humphed coldly.

“Who do you think you are?” That person laughed coldly. “Do you think that Elder Tong is someone you can meet anytime you want?”

“Impudence!” Lian Rou’s voice suddenly came from inside. She rushed out, mad with joy, and shouted, “Qin Lie! You’re still alive?!”

“Senior Sister Lian Rou, of course I am still alive. However, it would seem that many people assume that I’m dead.” Qin Lie cast a glance at that person.

“So it really was Junior Brother Qin. Forgive my offense, I am outer sect disciple Liu Xiang. I was at the Armament Pavilion in Purple Mist Sea City and I have only recently returned. I really did not recognize Junior Brother Qin.” It was only after he saw Lian Rou had confirm Qin Lie’s identity that he admitted his fault and bowed.

“Let’s go.” Qin Lie could not be bothered by him. He waved his sleeves and got ready to lead his people inside.

“Junior Brother Qin, who are those people?” Liu Xiang suddenly blocked the front again and pointed at the Ling Family. He appeared a bit embarrassed, but his attitude was very firm. “The sect master said that the current situation was too chaotic, and that anyone who isn’t a disciple of the sect… is not allowed to come in. Junior Brother Qin, please don’t make things difficult for me. I am just doing my duty.”

“Senior Sister Lian Rou, what’s going on with the sect right now? Since when could I not even bring someone inside?” Qin Lie did not even look at him. He simply asked Lian Rou with a dark expression.

Lian Rou’s expression was bitter. She sighed softly and said, “Qin Lie, something… something happened in the sect recently. I will explain along the way. The people will be brought over… but for now, they’ll have to wait outside. Once the sect master and the rest have agreed, it won’t be too late to let them in…”

“Hah, half a year ago you were the sect master of Armament Sect. Half a year later, you can’t even bring someone into the sect. It has only been half a year. This change seems to be a bit bigger than I thought.” Song Tingyu might be teasing, but her face was filled with shock.

Even she did not understand exactly what happened in Armament Sect in just half a year’s time to make these people to treat Qin Lie like this.