"Dammit! The old trickster Crane Pen Elder snatched the chance!"
"What can we do? Since the Dragon-Horned Demon King ordered it, anyone who dares to compete will die!"
"The strongest Dragon-Horned Demon King can't escape. Today I realize low cultivation has its advantages!"
The demons in the Demon-Sealing Pagoda nodded submissively, then gathered in twos and threes to whisper.
...
Outside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda, Lin Yu waited until the crack vanished, but no demons appeared. He looked up at the sky and murmured, "Lord Cauldron, is there a problem with the crack we made? The middle of the full moon has passed, the crack is gone, but where are the demons?"
"Strange. The crack leads to the pagoda's lower level—there must be no problem," Lord Cauldron said, puzzled. It had never encountered this situation.
"Could it be that a demon stronger than the Third Rank of the Purple Mansion tried to escape and was blocked?" Lin Yu speculated after thinking.
"Possible. After that demon escaped, the strongest demons must have occupied the crack. We calculated that only demons below the Third Rank of the Purple Mansion can pass through—heh, this makes it easier for you to deal with them one by one and grow your cultivation gradually," Lord Cauldron said proudly. "Let's go. There's no gain tonight. Demons should appear next time."
"Lord Cauldron, you mean the demons inside will test what cultivation can escape, so a demon will definitely pass through next time?" Lin Yu nodded, finding Lord Cauldron's words reasonable.
"Correct. Fortunately, your cultivation speed is already astonishing. It doesn't matter if advancing to the Fourth Rank of the Purple Mansion is a month or two late," Lord Cauldron chuckled, urging Lin Yu to leave.
...
Inside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda, time seemed to stand still. Imprisoned demons faced endless thunder, their strength gradually worn down day by day until they were completely refined.
"Lord Demon King! The crack! The crack has appeared!" The Crane Pen Elder beside the Dragon-Horned Demon King exclaimed in excitement the moment the crack appeared, then turned to look at the Dragon-Horned Demon King with a flattering gaze. Whether he could escape through the crack depended on the Dragon-Horned Demon King's mood.
Other cultivators in the pagoda also looked at the Crane Pen Elder. If only Second Rank Purple Mansion warriors could pass through, many of them would remain in the pagoda to suffer endlessly.
"Go," the Dragon-Horned Demon King nodded.
The Crane Pen Elder's face lit up with excitement. He turned into a stream of light and charged toward the crack in full view.
"He's through! The Crane Pen Elder really passed through the crack and escaped the Demon-Sealing Pagoda!"
"Does that mean only warriors below the Second Rank of the Purple Mansion can pass through? Will I have to wait long to leave?"
"I envy the Crane Pen Elder. Now he can enjoy himself outside while we stay here to suffer!"
Seeing the Crane Pen Elder's figure vanish, the demons in the pagoda whispered, their faces full of envy.
"It seems the only way to escape is to use that method," the Dragon-Horned Demon King thought, determined to escape no matter what.
...
Outside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda, a wisp of demonic energy surged from the crack. Then the energy rippled, and the Crane Pen Elder's figure gradually emerged.
"I'm finally out! Little ladies in the imperial city, wait for me!" The Crane Pen Elder looked around and realized he had truly escaped. Joy filled his face: "Hehe! As long as I absorb enough yuan yin, my strength will return to its peak, and all the beauties in the world will become my slaves!"
"Finally, another one comes to die," a voice sounded behind the Crane Pen Elder.
"Who?" The Crane Pen Elder's face showed shock. He had just checked—there was no one behind him. Who was speaking?
He turned to see a young man with a faint smile stepping out of the Demon-Sealing Pagoda's shadow.
"It's just a brat with no cultivation," the Crane Pen Elder snorted, but soon confusion crossed his face. Lin Yu had no aura of cultivation, yet how could he stand under the Demon-Sealing Pagoda unaffected by the demons' wails and curses? Any martial artist below the Innate Realm would go mad and become a killing lunatic upon hearing those sounds, but Lin Yu was fine—something was definitely wrong.
"Do you want to know where the guy who escaped from here went before?" Lin Yu chuckled, blocking the Crane Pen Elder's path.
"You mean Black Dragon True Person? What's your relationship with him?" The Crane Pen Elder looked at Lin Yu in confusion.
"Technically, I should be your benefactor. I made this crack—you should all thank me for escaping the Demon-Sealing Pagoda," Lin Yu said with a shake of his head.
"Thank you? How do you want me to thank you?" The Crane Pen Elder snorted, then a强横 (powerful) pressure surged from his body like a wave toward Lin Yu. "The best way to thank you is to send you to die!"
The Crane Pen Elder cackled wildly, as if already seeing Lin Yu crushed to pieces under his pressure. However, Lin Yu stood like a reef by the sea, unaffected by the pressure, which seemed no more than a gentle breeze.
He smiled and said, "The best way to thank me is for you to follow Black Dragon True Person and become a stepping stone on my cultivation path."
As the words fell, a terrifying pressure surged from Lin Yu's body, pressing down on the Crane Pen Elder like towering mountains. The pressure released by the Crane Pen Elder was不堪一击 (no match) in comparison, dissipating instantly.
Thump!
Unable to withstand the pressure, the Crane Pen Elder fell to his knees.
"Who... who are you?" The Crane Pen Elder was now completely禁锢 (imprisoned) by Lin Yu's pressure, unable to even move a finger. He looked at Lin Yu desperately and gritted his teeth, "I have the blood of extraterrestrial demons in my body. If you dare kill me, I'll curse you with my bloodline power, making your blood burst and die a miserable death!"
"Is that so? I'd like to see what an extraterrestrial demon's curse is like," Lin Yu said indifferently. Was he kidding? Lord Cauldron could refine even a Demon God's curse—what was a mere extraterrestrial demon's blood curse?
He raised his hand and pointed at the defenseless Crane Pen Elder. A sharp sword intent burst forth, piercing the Crane Pen Elder's brow before he could react. The Crane Pen Elder's eyes were filled with venom as he沉声 (said solemnly), "Brat, you... your blood will burst and you will die! You will!"