Chapter 93: First Steps into the Demon Domain

"Swoosh, swoosh…"

But Song Haolin was secretly scheming in his mind how to silently kill Li Mu the next time.

In this primeval forest, another sharp, piercing sound of something cutting through the air rang out.

Soon, a scream of agony came from elsewhere.

"Aaaahhh!"

And then, the spear‑like projectile shot out from the dense forest struck an Outer Disciple's throat with perfect accuracy.

Gushing blood poured down his throat, spilling from his mouth and nose.

"Roar!"

Seeing this scene,

the nearby Outer Disciples all drew a sharp gasp of cold air.

Because of the terror of having just been forcibly taken to the Demon Domain, and the fact that these two attacks came almost back‑to‑back.

Except for Song Haolin, no one realized that Li Mu had just been attacked as well.

"On the tree!"

"Brother Song, there's another one up there!"

"It's a Demon General!"

One Outer Disciple suddenly raised his hand and pointed at a large tree not far away.

But as he shouted, Li Mu and Song Haolin had already looked toward that spot.

There were two creatures resembling the Bloodline of the North Xuan Demon King, their bodies covered in bluish‑gray scale armor, each bearing a single horn on its forehead.

At this moment, the upper shell‑like armor of that demon had opened, and the spears had just been fired from inside!

Third-tier Demon General, Rock Armor Lizard!

But what truly terrified everyone present was not that it was a Third-tier Demon General.

It was because the two Rock Armor Lizards on the tree slowly closed their upper armor, and a sharp spear sprouted from each of their arms.

Li Mu, Song Haolin and the others beneath the tree showed a chilling expression.

Looking at the eyes of the two Rock Armor Lizards, it seemed as if they were hesitating between two dishes laid before them.

"Is this the result of that hesitation?"

Following the gaze of the Rock Armor Lizard, Li Mu's expression changed instantly.

The two spears that had just been fired.

One landed on the far right, the other on the far left.

This was clearly no coincidence!

The twenty‑two‑year‑old young man who had just been hit was only at the peak of the Second-tier Concentration Realm.

He was the weakest among the Outer Disciple candidates in this assessment, aside from Li Mu.

And the other target…

Naturally, it was himself!

He aimed at the two weakest examinees, apparently planning to eliminate as much of our living force as possible with this first ambush.

It seems!

The rumors were indeed true: a demon beast with the Bloodline of the North Xuan Demon King truly differs from ordinary wild demons—it ambushes, understands tactics, and possesses a mind not inferior to humans.

At that moment,

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a sharp, slicing sound through the air!

A brilliant silver blade flash shot straight out from Song Haolin's hand.

It instantly sliced the air before it, with thunderous force, piercing a hundred paces, and directly pierced the left chest of the Rock Armor Lizard that had just launched the ambush!

"Aoo!"

The Rock Armor Lizard let out a mournful howl, its massive body slashed by the blade's powerful impact, sending it flying off the tree.

It crashed through several towering trees nearby, and finally its body was pinned onto a huge rock!

There, a large sword was lodged in its left chest, the hilt still trembling slightly from the terrifying momentum.

As for the other Rock Armor Lizard that had just attacked, it clutched the long sword stuck in its chest and struggled fiercely.

Abruptly,

With a "puff!" sound, the Rock Armor Lizard's whole body began to swell rapidly.

Finally, its entire body was shredded into mush by the lingering blade energy!

The next moment!

The whole rock exploded, smoke and dust rose, and fragments of stone were whirled into the air by the blade's force.

So it turns out!

After locking onto that Rock Armor Lizard, Song Haolin drew his long sword and hurled it out forcefully.

He applied the Thunder Technique, instantly impaling the Rock Armor Lizard!

The other Rock Armor Lizard, seeing this, was just about to flee!

"Whoosh!"

Song Haolin's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood, and in an instant he appeared before the Rock Armor Lizard.

"Buzz!"

He twirled his right hand, and the long sword turned into a streak of light that flew back into his grasp, then he slashed at the Rock Armor Lizard before him!

"Pfft!"

Accompanied by the sound of a blade slicing flesh, the hard, metallic‑shining armor on the Rock Armor Lizard's chest was, before Song Haolin's Slash, as fragile as thin paper and was easily cut apart.

Crimson blood spurted outward from the wound!

"Die!"

The Rock Armor Lizard staggered backward a few steps.

Song Haolin's long sword became a terrifyingly bright blade flash that directly cut off the massive head on the Demon Race's neck!

"Bang!"

The Rock Armor Lizard, its head severed, staggered backward a few steps, then fell from the tree, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Dead!

Song Haolin, with a swift raise and fall of his blade, sequentially slashed two Rock Armor Lizards, and the terrifying combat power of a peak seventh‑grade Concentration Realm was displayed to the fullest at this moment!

"Clang!"

Song Haolin sheathed his sword, but his complexion was slightly pale.

Fighting within the Demon Domain, the air here is saturated with demonic aura; ordinary cultivators not only have their strength suppressed, but also cannot restore true Qi by breathing regulation.

Thus, right after finishing the fight, Song Haolin poured a Qi‑Returning Pill from the Jade Bottle and swallowed it.

Then he walked toward Li Mu and the others.

"Senior Brother Song!"

"Junior Brother Zhao…"

"Junior Brother Zhao can't go on!"

An Outer Disciple, with a tearful voice, addressed Song Haolin mournfully.

"Shut up!"

Song Haolin instantly glared at him, his tone full of rebuke.

"We cultivators, subduing demons and eliminating monsters, bloodshed and sacrifice are nothing but normal!"

"If because one person dies we wail and weep endlessly, then what are we cultivating, what demons are we slashing?"

"Better to roll back to the mortal world and go farm!"

"Don't disgrace ourselves here, tarnish the prestige of my Ziyang Sect!"

After Song Haolin's stern rebuke, the sorrowful atmosphere that had pervaded the crowd was instantly diluted.

Everyone rose from the ground, inhaled deeply, and their gazes regained resolve.

Indeed!

Going down the mountain to subdue demons and eliminate monsters—how could there be any reason not to die?

For these rookies who have just come down the mountain, everything they encountered today has only just begun.

However, Li Mu among the crowd silently observed everything from the shadows.

Although.

Just now, the battle between Song Haolin and those two Demon Race creatures ended in an instant!

But from it, Li Mu could clearly sense the terrifying aspect of the opponent's Second Layer Blade Intent: Xi!

When slashing into that Rock Armor Lizard's body, the blade qi condensed without dispersing, while continuously gathering momentum!

When it accumulated to a peak, the blade qi burst forth with a roar!

Directly from within, it shredded the enemy into a mass of mushy flesh!

It should be known that, whether human or Demon Race, refining the flesh usually focuses on the surface muscles and skin!

But refining internal organs such as the five viscera, six bowels, and the eight extraordinary vessels is exceedingly difficult!

Therefore, even a three‑year‑old knows that breaking an enemy from the inside is many times easier than a frontal assault.

"Looks like I also need to quickly strengthen my cultivation of Blade Intent!"

"I must strive to advance from First Layer Blade Intent: Wei to Second Layer Blade Intent: Xi as soon as possible!"

"If my Blade Intent breaks through, my combat power might double!"

Li Mu clenched his fists, having already made a decision in his heart.

"Everyone, come to me!"

At this moment, Song Haolin spoke again, calling all disciples participating in the Outer Disciple assessment to his side.

Now the group is deep within the Demon Domain, unable to escape.

At the same time, they must stay vigilant against terrifying Demon Race creatures that could strike from unknown directions.

As the Inner Disciple leading them down the mountain to subdue demons, with his cultivation at the peak of the seventh‑grade Concentration Realm, Song Haolin naturally became the backbone for everyone present.

"I think everyone here understands the current situation!"

"We have been abducted by that Northern Xuan Demon King into the Demon Domain, constantly facing peril!"

Song Haolin, considering the present circumstances, analyzed the situation for everyone with clear logic.

"But the silver lining is that the Northern Xuan Demon King is only a Clone."

"After deploying the Demon Domain, that Clone quickly disintegrated completely."

"Therefore, we need not worry about threats from the Northern Xuan Demon King!"

"However, we must not become complacent!"

Speaking, Song Haolin raised his hand and pointed to the ground beneath his feet, his voice carrying an unprecedented depth.

"And this place, after all, is a Demon Domain manifested by at least an Eight‑tier Peak Demon King!"

"That means!"

"Unless we all die here."

"Or we locate the weakest spot of this Demon Domain, then concentrate all our strength to breach it from within, thereby escaping to the heavens."

"Before this, nobody from outside could get in!"

Having said that.

Everyone present let out low voices.

"Um…"

"Uh…"

We had thought that as long as we held fast here, we could successfully wait until the hope of sect rescue was extinguished.

Many Outer Disciples present lowered their heads, a hint of gloom flashing across their faces, clearly having taken a heavy blow.

Song Haolin looked around the gathered people and then continued.

"From now on, we can no longer move as a large force together!"

"In this way, the efficiency of exploring this Demon Domain is far too low."

"We probably haven't yet found the weakest spot of this Demon Domain."

"Then the Northern Xuan Demon King will arrive first and kill us all!"

"Therefore, our only way to survive is to act separately!"

"Form a Warrior Squad of about five members."

"Split up to explore this Demon Domain and find the crucial path to survival!"

Although hearing Song Haolin say we should split up here made everyone feel very uneasy and fearful.

But what Song Haolin said was also true.

Indeed, acting separately would face great dangers, having to constantly guard against the various Demon Race hunts in the jungle!

But if we cannot, before the Northern Xuan Demon King's true form arrives, successfully locate the Demon Domain's weak spot and breach it.

Then, when facing a terrifying Demon King that is at least an Eighth-Grade Peak, everyone being killed would be nothing more than an instant.

Thus, rather than saying everyone should stay together and wait to die.

It would be more reliable to form Warrior Squads, disperse, and find that final sliver of hope within this Demon Domain.

Nevertheless, Song Haolin, being the only Seventh-Grade Peak Concentration Realm cultivator among the disciples on this expedition.

And just now, he had nonchalantly slashed two Rock Armor Lizards, a splendid feat.

Naturally, this became the top choice for all Outer Disciples who wanted to form a team!

"Senior Brother Song, may I join your squad?"

"Sure!"

"Senior Brother Song, take me as well!"

"Senior Brother Song, as long as you agree to let me join your Warrior Squad."

"Then whatever you have me do, I will agree!"

"……"

For a moment.

Almost all Outer Disciples swarmed toward Song Haolin, each expressing a desire to team up with him.

But Song Haolin was unmoved, even directly pushing aside the Outer Disciple who was at the front.

"Cough cough…"

Although Song Haolin did not exert force, being a Seventh-Grade Peak Concentration Realm cultivator, even a slight wave of his hand remained overwhelming to these Outer Disciples.

The Outer Disciple who was pushed back staggered several steps, a pain in his chest causing him to furrow his brows and cough violently.

"You!"

"And you!"

"And also you!"

"You four join my team; the rest form your own groups!"

At that instant, Li Mu frowned.

What does Song Haolin mean?

The four he selected were clearly the strongest in cultivation and strength among these Outer Disciples!

Even the weakest among them were at Fourth-Grade Peak Concentration Realm!

Doing so would indeed raise Song Haolin's group's survival odds in the Demon Domain.

What about the rest?

Leaving the remaining group to fend for themselves in this Demon Domain would be impossible!