The group descended from the Nether Tiger to rest and recover their breath.
After Yan Huaichen removed his mask, Ting Bai and the others noticed that his lips were unusually pale.
The wound on the inner side of his right wrist—the one that should have healed from last time—had somehow torn open again.
Moreover, faint traces of black Demonic Qi were seeping from the wound.
Seeing this, Ting Bai was greatly alarmed.
He hurried forward to support Yan Huaichen and took out all the spirit demon cores he had stored earlier.
“Brother Chen, is it because the spiritual power you transferred to Miss Luo a couple of days ago hasn’t fully recovered yet?”
“No need to ask!” Yi Ze pushed Ting Bai aside, picked out the largest spirit demon core from his hand, and crushed it, guiding the spiritual energy into Yan Huaichen’s Dantian.
Just as Yi Ze picked up another Demon Core and was about to crush it, Yan Huaichen raised his hand to stop him.
“No need to waste more Demon Cores. I know my own body well enough.”
Yi Ze and Ting Bai were about to persuade him further when they saw their young master take out the Spirit Replenishing Pill that Luo Qi had left behind when she departed.
The pill had an elegant luster and a refreshing fragrance. Just by inhaling the scent of the Spirit Replenishing Pill, one could feel waves of rich Spiritual Qi rushing toward them.
The purity of this Spiritual Qi was something that spirit demon cores could never compare to.
The words of persuasion that Yi Ze and Ting Bai had been about to speak were immediately swallowed back.
After taking the Spirit Replenishing Pill, the restless Grudge Demon Qi within Yan Huaichen’s body was temporarily suppressed, and even the black Demonic Qi at the wound on his wrist disappeared completely.
Ting Bai simply pulled Yi Ze aside, lest his grumbling disturb the young master’s meditation.
“Enough.” Looking at Yi Ze’s dark and sulky expression, Ting Bai reminded him, “I know you’re upset, but if you don’t want to incur the young master’s wrath, you’d better weigh carefully what you should and shouldn’t say.”
Yi Ze naturally understood this reasoning. “I just think the young master doesn’t need to take such a huge risk for a strange woman he’s only known for two or three days!”
Others might not understand the situation, but the two of them knew exactly what was going on.
Their young master, though born into the Demon Race with the most noble blood, did not possess Demonic Veins.
This was the same principle as an immortal cultivator lacking a Spiritual Root and Spirit Vein.
Without Demonic Veins, the young master could not cultivate Demon Race techniques.
What was even more unexpected was that their young master had been born carrying a rare and sinister Black Demon Qi within his body.
This Black Demon Qi was different from the ordinary Demonic Qi of their race. Not only was it far more domineering, but it could not be destroyed, and it would autonomously grow stronger as Yan Huaichen’s cultivation level increased.
But that wasn’t even the most troublesome part.
The most terrifying aspect of this rare Black Demonic Qi was that it seemed to possess its own consciousness. It constantly sought to devour Yan Huaichen’s original consciousness, replace it, and take complete control of his body.
After Yan Huaichen became aware of this, he had been constantly searching for ways to suppress this Demonic Qi.
In the end, he discovered that the pure Spiritual Qi of the world was the natural enemy of the Black Demonic Qi and could temporarily suppress it.
It was precisely for this reason that Yan Huaichen had to continuously kill spirit demons and extract their Demon Cores.
And two days ago, because Luo Qi was injured, Yan Huaichen had transferred all the spiritual power he had accumulated in his body to her, causing the Black Demonic Qi to lose its suppression.
It then began to recklessly erode Yan Huaichen’s meridians, attempting to devour him.
So, over the past two days, Yan Huaichen had been fighting against the Black Demonic Qi on one hand, enduring the erosion and torment of the Demonic Qi.
On the other hand, the wound that had not yet healed had torn open a second time due to the Demonic Qi’s interference.
This was why Yan Huaichen’s complexion had grown increasingly pale.
Thinking of the suffering and torment their young master had endured because of Luo Qi, Yi Ze gritted his teeth and uttered a harsh vow:
“That Luo Qi—her intentions had better not be aimed at our Brother Chen. Otherwise, I will personally kill her!”
Meanwhile, the Luo Qi that Ting Bai and Yi Ze had been muttering about was being stopped by an invisible barrier.
She and Xiao Bai slowly descended to the ground. Luo Qi gazed intently at the “illusory wall” before her.
After a moment, she said calmly, “It’s a Barrier.”
Moreover, this Barrier was so vast it seemed to have no borders, and hidden within it were no fewer than ten complex formations.
With such an arrangement, this was likely the Demon Race’s protective Barrier.
Xiao Bai had also guessed the purpose of this Barrier.
It jumped down from Luo Qi’s arms, mobilized the spiritual power within its body, and nudged the transparent barrier with its head.
Xiao Bai was born with a Divine Beast Spirit Body, allowing it to freely traverse the barriers of the world without restriction.
Yet now, the Barrier before it remained completely unmoved.
Instead, Xiao Bai felt a numbness in its head, as if it had been soaked in Demonic Water.
It shook its head to shake off that unpleasant dizziness, drooped its tail, and looked up at Luo Qi.
“Master, why is this protective Barrier of the Demon Race so powerful? With our current strength, breaking through this Barrier will take considerable effort.”
Luo Qi was well aware of this.
If they were to forcefully break through the Barrier, not only would both sides suffer losses, but it would likely also alert the Demon Race.
At that point, a fierce battle would be unavoidable.
Just then, the Barrier before Luo Qi, which had been completely still, suddenly rippled gently a few times.
At the same time, a powerful surge of Demonic Qi accompanied it.
Luo Qi turned her gaze to the right.
About two hundred meters away from them, the Barrier there had formed a small vortex.
Immediately after, two young men dressed in Demon Race attire walked out.
They naturally spotted Luo Qi as well.
The one at the lead paused for a brief moment, and once he took in Luo Qi’s features, a flicker of admiration passed through his eyes.
He raised a hand to stroke his chin, the corners of his mouth curling upward uncontrollably.
The man behind him, seeing an outsider near the Barrier, instinctively assumed a defensive stance and stepped forward to shield the leading man.
Only after confirming that Luo Qi carried no trace of Spiritual Qi fluctuation did he lower his voice and say:
“Left Protector, this person has no spiritual power—just a mortal woman.”
Hearing this, the man in front no longer bothered to conceal his gaze.
Predatory. Lustful.
Those greasy eyes seemed desperate to cling onto Luo Qi.
Xiao Bai’s senses were razor-sharp; it bared its teeth and snarled at the burly man reeking of Demonic Qi, itching to lunge forward and claw his eyes out.
Having confirmed that Luo Qi posed no threat, Kong Can and his subordinate walked over.
He rubbed his thumb against the corner of his mouth, leering at Luo Qi with undisguised lust written plainly in his eyes.
“Little miss, all alone out here—are you trying to enter the Demon Race?”
Kong Can grinned wickedly as he stepped closer to Luo Qi.
He tilted his head, gesturing toward the Barrier, and said: “This is our Demon Race’s Protective Barrier. Those who are not of the Demon Race may not enter.”
With that, he suddenly narrowed his eyes, casually slapped a hand against the Barrier, and the wall—as solid as iron and steel—trembled violently under his force.
Seeing Luo Qi’s indifferent reaction, Kong Can was somewhat taken aback.
Faced with such an ethereal, otherworldly beauty, his impatience was already burning—he longed to pin her beneath him and savor her at once, and could hardly bear to waste time circling around her.
“Little sister, if you want to enter the Demon Race, it’s simple—let big brother here hold you for a bit. Once you’re tainted with my Demonic Qi, why worry about passing through this Protective Barrier?”
As he spoke, he let out a lecherous laugh.
His subordinate behind him, upon hearing this, teleported forward in an instant, intending to forcibly subdue Luo Qi and deliver her to his master’s pleasure.