"Senior Brother Han, something big has happened!"
Deep within the Myriad Phenomena Garden, Chaos Qi surged like a tide, converging within the quiet chamber, almost solidifying into a tangible form.
Han Xuanji sat cross-legged on a futon, Dao rhyme flowing around him. His aura had reached the peak of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, his immortal power vast as the ocean, with surging waves crashing against the invisible yet firm Realm barrier.
Reaching the True Immortal Realm was not so easy.
On one hand, he needed to achieve Perfection in his Cultivation, and on the other, he needed to find his own "Dao," refining his True Immortal Dao from various insights into the Laws of the Great Dao.
Han Xuanji's communication jade slip suddenly flickered, breaking the silence of his Cultivation.
"Senior Brother Han, something big has happened!"
Jiang Yuan's voice came through the communication jade slip, carrying obvious anxiety and indignation.
"Within the Immortal Domain, traces of Demon Race spies have been found in multiple locations.
They seem to be systematically destroying Spiritual Veins, then harassing important locations, and even targeting some lone Prodigy Disciples."
Han Xuanji frowned slightly:
"Demon Path spies are so rampant?"
The borders of the Lingxu Immortal Domain were heavily guarded, yet the Demon Race could infiltrate the Immortal Domain and stir up trouble, showing the depth of their schemes.
"Yes!"
Jiang Yuan's tone was heavy, "It is said that there is the shadow of a Demon Domain Great Power behind this. These spies act mysteriously and ruthlessly, and…and they seem to know our situation like the back of their hand!"
"Is that what you mean by something big?"
Han Xuanji asked via spiritual message, not feeling much about it.
The Immortal-Demon War had lasted for many years, and such incidents occurred periodically.
The Demon Race would develop new infiltration methods, cause trouble, and then the Immortal Cultivators would decipher them and begin to eliminate the Demon Race.
Jiang Yuan did not hesitate and quickly replied:
"Of course not. Do you know that Jiang Family Prodigy from our Dan Meridian?"
Jiang Yuan did not continue to keep him in suspense and said directly:
"It is said that Jiang Hao, who possesses the 'Immortal King Bone,' was ambushed by Demon Race elites while out on an adventure!"
"A Demon Race expert personally took action and dug out the Immortal King Bone from Jiang Hao's body."
"Hmm?"
Han Xuanji was slightly surprised:
"Does the Jiang Family not have a Dao Protector?"
"A Dao Protector…couldn't stop him either."
Immediately after, Jiang Yuan began to describe what happened at the time, as if he had been there in person.
Although Jiang Hao fought desperately, using all his trump cards and even severely injuring several Demon Race experts, he was ultimately outnumbered and no match for that terrifying Demon Race expert.
Finally, he was brutally cut open by that Demon Race expert using a secret technique, and the 'Immortal King Bone,' radiating with countless rays of light and inscribed with Innate Dao patterns, was forcibly dug out.
If not for the Jiang Family Old Ancestor sensing the Bloodline crisis in time and manifesting a Dharma Body from afar to scare off the Demon Race, Jiang Hao would probably have been annihilated in both body and spirit.
But even so, with his Immortal King Bone taken, his Dao foundation was severely damaged.
Jiang Hao was already on his last breath, his Dao path almost severed.
When the news spread, the Jiang Family was furious, and the entire Lingxu Immortal Domain was in an uproar.
"The Immortal King Bone…was dug out?"
Han Xuanji was also stunned for a moment when he heard this news.
He could hardly imagine what kind of pain and despair that was.
A Prodigy, falling to dust overnight, such a blow was far more cruel than death.
"The Demon Race is truly too despicable."
Jiang Yuan said with heartache in his message,
"Although Senior Brother Jiang is arrogant…sigh…"
Although Jiang Hao was arrogant, he was not a bad person. He often used his Heavenly Eye to help the Disciples of the Dan Meridian complete demon-slaying missions, and he would not refuse if someone asked him for guidance.
This incident had a huge impact. The Jiang Family's experts were all dispatched, uniting with several experts from the Lingxu Heavenly Palace, frantically pursuing and eliminating Demon Race spies. For a time, the Immortal Domain was on high alert.
However, that group of bizarrely acting Demon Race seemed to have vanished into thin air, making it difficult to find their main traces. It seemed their sole purpose was to seize that Immortal King Bone.
And with Jiang Hao's serious injury and subsequent silence, the once eye-catching "Thirty-Year Pact" he had made with Su Ming naturally went unmentioned.
The outside world is indeed dangerous!
Han Xuanji secretly complained.
Even with a Jiang Family Dao Protector, it's still so dangerous. This world is indeed too dangerous.
One really needs to act discreetly until reaching a certain Realm.
Even a protagonist of destiny, if he goes out to cause trouble, can easily encounter great calamity.
That Jiang Hao could keep his life could be considered a blessing of Luck.
… …
On this day.
Su Ming visited. He looked at the description of Jiang Hao's recent situation in the communication jade slip and remained silent for a long time.
He caressed the increasingly powerful rusty sword, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
There was sympathy for his opponent's plight, anger at the Demon Race's actions, and also a hint of…an empty feeling from his goal suddenly disappearing.
He ultimately just sighed softly and said to Han Xuanji:
"Senior Brother Han, my agreement with him no longer counts. Now…I only hope he can survive this calamity."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly.
The struggle for the Great Dao was inherently ruthless, and the dangers of the Demon Tribulation in the outside world far exceeded the competitions within the Sect.
Jiang Hao's encounter served as a warning to all complacent Prodigies.
Even Han Xuanji felt a touch of emotion about the difficulty of Cultivation.
Su Ming shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of self-mockery and solemnity: "These past years, I dared not be negligent in the slightest, cultivating diligently in the Sect's Secret Realm until I reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm. I thought I could finally contend with him in a sword discussion at the same Realm…but I never expected…"
His unspoken words were filled with the lament of life's unpredictability.
Although his Cultivation was not as good as the other party's, at least he had reached the same Realm.
But he never expected to receive this news.
"I finally understand what Senior Brother Han said."
Su Ming also suddenly realized.
Han Xuanji was not being low-key and afraid of trouble; he was being prudent and protecting himself.
Strength…only absolute strength was the foundation of one's existence.
After they talked for a while, Su Ming also left.
"Strength…I still need stronger strength."
Han Xuanji muttered to himself, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
In this increasingly treacherous and dangerous era, where Great Powers make their moves and great calamities lurk, only by possessing the power to overturn everything can one truly protect oneself, sit calmly amidst the storm, and pursue the Dao of eternal freedom.
He no longer thought about it and turned to walk directly into the quiet Cultivation chamber.
The heavy stone door of the quiet chamber closed silently, isolating all disturbances from the outside.
Three years, for a Cultivator, was but a flick of a finger.
On this day, above the Myriad Phenomena Garden, winds surged and clouds gathered. Vast Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi formed a huge vortex, furiously pouring into the quiet chamber.
Han Xuanji successfully broke through to the True Immortal Realm.