The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's golden vertical pupils abruptly constricted into needlepoints, and the ethereal blue fox flames silently surged, annihilating the surrounding Chaos Qi waves and forming a complete vacuum!
"You... are seeking death!" The icy killing intent, like a tangible cold tide, froze space. Nine fox tails, like world-ending whips, wrapped in ethereal blue light flames that shattered Law, tore through Chaos, and directly struck Li Mu!
Li Mu remained seated, unmoving. Facing the world-destroying offensive, he merely raised his left hand, and, facing the nine surging world-ending light flames, spread his five fingers, palm downwards, and gently pressed down.
Buzz—
The entire Chaos Treasure Mansion violently shook! The surging Chaos Sea instantly calmed, and the churning Qi waves solidified like black jade.
A will, originating from the entire Cave Heaven World and impossible to defy, along with the Chaos Origin, descended with a roar! The nine ethereal blue fox flames that tore through space, as if colliding with an invisible Dao Wall, abruptly halted a hundred feet in front of Li Mu!
"Roar—!" The light flames let out an unwilling roar, and the ethereal blue energy violently impacted, causing space to shatter and collapse inch by inch, forming terrifying black cracks.
However, that invisible Dao Wall was indestructible; no matter how the light flames impacted it, it remained motionless.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's expression slightly changed, and the shock and anger in his eyes intensified. He felt that what restrained the light flames was the "Law" of this Heaven and Earth itself, rejecting and repelling his power! This Heaven-reaching World had completely obeyed this person's will, repelling everything.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint grunted, his figure swaying slightly. The ethereal glow on his fingertips completely extinguished; his proud attack had been forcibly "digested" by the other party!
The Chaos Sea returned to its surging state. Li Mu lowered his left hand, his gaze calmly fixed on the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint, the curve of his lips almost imperceptible: "Fellow Daoist, can we talk properly now?"
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint stared intently at Li Mu, a storm churning in his golden vertical pupils. Humiliation, shock, and killing intent intertwined. The ethereal blue flames around his body slowly receded, but their color grew deeper, and space around him continuously annihilated and Rebirth, silent, as heavy as lead.
"What do you want to talk about?"
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint forcibly suppressed the violent aura around him that almost incinerated space. The ethereal blue fox flames completely retracted to a height of about a foot, but their color was as deep as the Nine Nether Cold Abyss. He slowly spoke, his voice low and hoarse, every word seemingly squeezed from between his teeth.
"I want to understand the situation of this realm from Fellow Daoist!" Li Mu went straight to the point, asking with a smile.
"You are not a creature of this realm?" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's golden pupils suddenly constricted, staring intently at Li Mu, as if wanting to penetrate the Chaos Dao power swirling around him and see his Origin.
After a few breaths, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's icy voice sounded again, carrying a sense of condescending detachment: "This is the Demon Spirit Realm, the Ancestral Court of Ten Thousand Yao, a place where myriad races contend."
"This realm is vast and boundless, with twelve great Yao Race Saints who command all Yao and rule over their respective territories. Each of them is an existence that has endured myriad tribulations and possesses world-shaking Divine Ability, capable of shattering stars with a flick of their palm and severing star rivers with a single thought. This Saint is one of the direct descendants of the Nine Heavens Great Saint; you have provoked someone you shouldn't have!" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint stared intently at Li Mu, introducing himself proudly.
"So that's how it is, I've long admired you, but it seems Fellow Daoist provoked me without cause! I did not actively seek trouble with Fellow Daoist!" Li Mu smiled slightly, complimented him, and reminded him.
"Stop talking nonsense, quickly let this Saint out, or you'll regret it!" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint snorted coldly, urging him.
The faint smile on Li Mu's face remained unchanged, his gaze as calm as water: "Fellow Daoist, please calm down. Answer a few more questions, and I will naturally see you off with courtesy."
Li Mu ignored the almost erupting anger in the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's eyes and directly asked: "First question, are there any Human Race forces in this realm!"
"Human Race..." The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's lips curved into a faint, disdainful arc: "In this realm, they are merely one of the myriad races, dwelling in a few corners. There are still three major forces that can establish themselves, perhaps providing some shelter for outsiders like you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint flicked his finger, and a golden light flew from his fingertip, transforming into a pure stream of information that shot towards Li Mu.
The golden light merged into the Chaos in front of Li Mu, and the information was instantly read by his Divine Thought.
Li Mu closed his eyes for a moment, incorporating the information into his Sea of Consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, Chaos flowed in their depths, showing no emotional fluctuations, and he merely nodded slightly to the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint: "Thank you for the information."
Li Mu looked at the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint and continued to ask: "Fellow Daoist, do you know of the 'Mysterious Tree of Deceit'? Do you know its Foundation? Where is it hidden?"
The words "Strange Tree" seemed to trigger some taboo!
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's aura suddenly stifled! His pure golden vertical pupils abruptly constricted, and a very clear hint of dread, even... fear, flashed in their depths! The ethereal blue flames at the tips of the nine dark-gold fox tails coiled behind him suddenly flared up with a "puff" and flickered violently, scorching large black cracks in the surrounding space, then quickly receded, as if desperately suppressing some instinctive terror.
This Chaos space seemed to freeze for a moment due to the Demon Saint's instant reaction.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint stared intently at Li Mu, his voice extremely low, carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
"You... dare to inquire about that thing?" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint paused for a moment, seemingly weighing his options. Finally, an unconcealable hint of dread permeated his icy voice, and he warned: "That is an extremely evil object nurtured by the 'Herder Race'! It is not a creature of this realm, but a calamity from outside the domain!"
"Herder Race?" Li Mu's eyes flickered, catching this crucial name.
"A group of lunatics who wander outside the three thousand main realms, feeding on realms!" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's voice carried bone-chilling coldness: "They sow the seeds of that Strange Tree in remote and weak realms, allowing them to take root and sprout, devouring the world's Origin and nourishing their entire race! Realms targeted by them lose all vitality, their Laws collapse, and they eventually turn into desolate ruins, becoming nourishment for the Herder Race!"
In the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils, a terrifying scene was reflected: "The traces of this tree are mysterious, and its whereabouts are uncertain. Wherever its roots reach, space distorts, and living beings mutate; it is a calamity for all living things! As for its whereabouts..."
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint said coldly, "This Saint does not know! Nor does he wish to know! Such a disaster is to be avoided at all costs! I advise you, do not seek your own death!"
Li Mu listened quietly, the Chaos light swirling in his eyes, unfathomably deep. He nodded slightly, thanking him: "So that's how it is. Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for clarifying."
Li Mu ignored the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's warning, his eyes still calm with the swirling Chaos, and continued to ask: "Second question, aside from the three forces Fellow Daoist mentioned earlier, are there any other noteworthy existences among the Human Race in this realm? For example... those involved with the 'Herder Race'?"
A hint of impatience flashed in the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's golden vertical pupils, and he said coldly: "The Human Race is weak, confined to a corner; those three are already the best, the rest are not worth mentioning. As for the Herder Race..."
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's lips curved into an icy arc: "How could such an extraterrestrial calamity that feeds on realms associate with other ants? The Human Race doesn't even have the qualifications to be nurtured by them!"
Li Mu's eyes flickered, noncommittal, and he asked with concern: "Oh! This Herder Race... what is their number? Have they ever entered this realm on a large scale?"
"Number?" A hint of mockery flashed in the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's eyes, as if he had heard the biggest joke: "How can such an ancient Vicious Beast race that wanders the heavens and devours realms be counted? They are like extraterrestrial ghosts, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. The core of their race is hidden among the unknown three thousand main patrol realms, making them difficult to find. As for this realm..."
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils flashed with a sharp light, carrying an indifference that surveyed all realms, and he said proudly: "The Demon Spirit Realm is the Ancestral Court of Ten Thousand Yao, with a profound Foundation, incomparable to those weak realms. Although the Herder Race is fierce, they dare not easily set foot in this realm and provoke the joint attack of the twelve Demon Saints. Their traces of activity are mostly found in the small barbaric realms on the fringes, sowing the seeds of the Strange Tree and eroding those barren lands. Large-scale entry? Hmph, unless they want to go to war with my Ancestral Court of Ten Thousand Yao!"
"Fellow Daoist is too confident. The Herder Race is no small matter; their Foundation should not be so shallow, and this realm is also in danger!" Li Mu smiled dismissively, noncommittal about the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's one-sided statement. Having fought with the Mysterious Tree of Deceit, he understood it much better than the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint.
Upon hearing this, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils suddenly solidified. Li Mu's calm statement was like a thunderclap exploding in his Sea of Consciousness!
The other party was not merely inquiring, but rather... had personally experienced it?
"You... come from outside, and you are so persistent in inquiring about the Herder Race..." The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils were as sharp as knives, and he looked at Li Mu, probing: "Could it be... that your world has already been eroded by the Strange Tree?"
Facing the Demon Saint's startling question that went straight to the core, the faint smile on Li Mu's face completely vanished, his gaze as calm as an abyss, and he slowly nodded: "Indeed."
"The Herder Race's Foundation should not be limited to this." Chaos light swirled in Li Mu's eyes, unfathomably deep, and he said in a deep voice, "My realm suffered a calamity, but it was not their full extent. Having fought with that Mysterious Tree of Deceit for hundreds of years, I also clearly understand its Foundation; it is by no means as sparse and ordinary as Fellow Daoist described!"
"Heh!" Regarding Li Mu's statement, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint let out a cold laugh, scoffing: "You, a mere survivor of a small realm, dare to presumptuously discuss the Foundation of my Demon Spirit Realm?"
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint, full of arrogance, eloquently described the Foundation of this realm to Li Mu: "The twelve great Yao Race Saints, which one of them is not a supreme existence that has endured myriad tribulations and shattered star rivers! The Golden Peng Great Saint's wings can split the Nine Heavens Gang Wind! The Black Tortoise Great Saint's shell can bear the weight of a realm! My father, the Nine Heavens Great Saint, even commands all Yao, and a single thought can shift the stars of the heavens! How can it compare to your dilapidated small realm, which was merely eroded by a mere Strange Tree?!"
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils were fixed on Li Mu's face, and he laughed mockingly: "No matter how fierce the Herder Race is, they will never dare to act presumptuously in this realm! The Demon Spirit Realm is definitely not a weak place like yours! Your alarmist talk only makes people laugh!"
Facing the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's angry refutation and terrifying pressure, which was like a tangible storm, Li Mu remained seated in the Chaos Sea, his body as steady as a sea-stabilizing needle. There was no hint of anger on his face; instead, the familiar, subtly enigmatic faint smile slowly curved at his lips.
"What Fellow Daoist said is indeed reasonable." Li Mu's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of agreement, as if the previous argument was just a gentle breeze: "The Demon Spirit Realm has a profound Foundation, and the twelve great Saints possess world-shaking Divine Ability. Li... has learned a lot."
Before his words finished, Li Mu raised his right hand, and, facing the direction of the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint, spread his five fingers and casually waved them outwards!
Buzz!
The Law of the entire Chaos Treasure Mansion moved according to his will, even more smoothly and naturally than before. The violent demon power and space-scorching fox fire around the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint were forcibly smoothed out and pushed away by an invisible giant hand. A "calm" passage directly leading to the outside Void Realm instantly formed. At the end of the passage, the chaotic forest scene outside was clearly visible.
The passage opened, and the order to leave was given swiftly and decisively.
In the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's pure golden vertical pupils, the churning rage was choked back by this understated wave! Humiliation, fury, and a hint of fierce killing intent, completely enraged by the other party's nonchalant attitude, exploded in his chest like venom! He stared intently at the faint smile on Li Mu's face, as if wanting to brand the other party deep into his Divine Soul.
"Good, good! This Saint will remember you!" The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint let out a low growl, suppressed to the extreme, like a wounded Vicious Beast. His demon power surged violently, and his black brocade robe figure, enveloped in towering rage and unwillingness, took a step forward!
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's figure entered the Chaos passage and instantly vanished.
The surging Chaos Sea, with the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's departure, gradually returned to its inherent turbulent rhythm.
Li Mu slowly retracted his hand, his seated body completely still. Looking in the direction where the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint disappeared, the Chaos light in his deep eyes fluctuated, like an abyss.
Immediately, Li Mu controlled the Chaos Treasure Mansion, transforming it into a streak of light, and in a blink of an eye, it vanished from its original spot.
Space violently twisted, and the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's majestic figure suddenly appeared. His violent demon power uncontrollably overflowed, instantly plowing the already chaotic ground below hundreds of feet deep again. Nine dark-gold, crimson fox tails danced wildly, their tips burning with scorching white flames.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint hovered in the Void Realm, staring intently as that "speck of dust" transformed into a streak of light and disappeared. In his pure golden vertical pupils, icy killing intent and humiliated rage almost materialized and burst forth.
After a few breaths, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint wished he could pursue and completely incinerate that speck of dust. However, sensing the profundity of the Chaotic Great Dao on Li Mu, he did not have complete confidence in defeating such an enemy.
The Demon Spirit Realm has a profound Foundation, and the twelve great Saints awe the heavens—this is a belief ingrained in his Bloodline.
But the "Herder Race"... that was an ancient calamity that even his father, the Nine Heavens Great Saint, would mention with a hint of solemnity in his eyes. Their methods were mysterious and unpredictable, their erosion formless.
This person's existence was a huge variable. An outsider expert who controlled the Chaotic Great Dao, seemingly having clashed with the Herder Race, suddenly descended upon the Demon Spirit Realm, inquiring about the Strange Tree. What was his intention? And what did the "danger" he spoke of point to?
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint took a deep breath, and the icy air stung his lungs, suppressing the last embers of impulse. Pursuit? He was not entirely confident.
A Chaos Dao cultivator, the shadow of the "Herder Race," the other party's doubts about the Demon Spirit Realm... This matter far exceeded personal grievances!
The next moment, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's black-robed figure suddenly blurred, transforming into a streak of ethereal blue light that tore through the sky, soaring straight into the clouds! He had to immediately meet the Nine Heavens Great Saint! And inform him of everything that happened today, including the matter of the Herder Race. (End of this chapter)
