The Profound Sun Mountain Range.
This was a vast mountain range stretching tens of thousands of miles, with towering peaks and endless vistas. Countless beasts lurked within its depths.
Due to its proximity to the Profound Sun Sect, most of the more powerful beasts in the range had long been eradicated.
The beasts that remained were mostly of the Qi Condensation Realm or Spirit Meridian Realm, with occasional appearances by Profound Elixir Realm beasts. However, the latter were so rare that whenever one showed up, it would quickly be slain by disciples of the Profound Sun Sect.
Because no overly powerful beasts resided here, the Profound Sun Mountain Range had always been a training ground for the Profound Sun Sect's Inner Sect disciples.
Every year, more than a thousand disciples would enter the range to train. Even if they couldn't achieve top rankings, they could still hunt a few beasts. Each beast carcass brought back to the Profound Sun Sect could be exchanged for a significant amount of sect contribution points.
But this year—
No one could have anticipated what happened.
During the trial, a pitch-black formation suddenly rose from all directions. Before the disciples could react, the skies darkened completely.
Thick, roiling clouds blocked out the sun, accompanied by eerie wailing that sent chills down their spines.
Shortly after—
Under the watchful eyes of over a thousand Inner Sect disciples, the sky cracked open!
A rift hundreds of meters long tore through the heavens, emanating a cold, violent, bloodthirsty aura.
Then, tens of thousands of evil Otherworldly Demons from beyond the domain poured out of the rift.
These Otherworldly Demons came in countless forms, their numbers overwhelming. They quickly filled the surrounding land. Wherever one looked, there were Otherworldly Demons everywhere.
Seeing this scene, every Profound Sun Sect disciple felt as though they had been plunged into an icy abyss, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
At that moment, they all realized the tables had turned. In an instant, they had gone from hunters to prey!
Clang!
Amid the pervasive black mist, the sound of metal clashing rang out.
A slender figure was sent flying backward, crashing into a large tree. The impact was so strong that the entire tree trembled, its branches shedding countless leaves that fluttered to the ground.
"Pfft!"
Liu Qingshuang knelt on the ground, pale-faced, using her sword for support. Blood spurted from her mouth, staining the earth beneath her.
"Am I going to die here today?"
Not long ago, she had just switched to a new cultivation technique, significantly improving her strength. She had thought this Inner Sect Trial would be her chance to shine.
But who could have predicted—
Her very first Inner Sect Trial would coincide with an invasion of evil Otherworldly Demons.
From the moment the Otherworldly Demons descended until now, just over a day had passed. Of the original thousand-plus Inner Sect disciples, almost all had perished or been captured.
Most were seized by the Otherworldly Demons, while the small number who remained alive banded together in scattered groups, desperately searching for a way out within an area barely a hundred miles wide.
Just moments ago, several senior brothers and sisters had been by Liu Qingshuang's side. But after encountering a squad of Otherworldly Demons, they had been forced to scatter.
At this moment, Liu Qingshuang knew there was no way she could break out of the formation on her own.
And to make matters worse, a powerful Otherworldly Demon blocked her path.
"The scent of humans… truly delightful!"
A cold, sinister voice echoed.
Not far away, a towering figure, nearly ten feet tall and shrouded entirely in a black robe, strode forward. In its hand, it dragged a limp human figure. As it approached Liu Qingshuang, it casually tossed the figure onto the ground with a loud thud.
When she saw who had been thrown down, Liu Qingshuang's pupils contracted in shock.
That was Senior Brother Zhou!
Senior Brother Zhou, who had reached the mid-Spirit Meridian Realm and was considered among the top-tier participants in this trial. Yet now, even someone as powerful as him had fallen here.
"Don't waste your energy struggling. I won't kill you."
The towering figure extended a thin, elongated tongue to lick its lips as it stepped closer to Liu Qingshuang. It spoke slowly, voice dripping with malice:
"Other Otherworldly Demons see humans as livestock and prefer steaming, frying, or boiling them…"
"But I am different."
"I like to eat them raw!"
Hearing the first part of the sentence, Liu Qingshuang thought for a moment she might have a sliver of hope.
But by the time the last sentence came out, every nerve in her body tensed to its limit.
No wonder Senior Brother Zhou's body had remained intact after falling into this Otherworldly Demon's hands—it didn't eat corpses. It preferred them alive.
"Die!"
Liu Qingshuang refused to sit idly by. She launched a desperate attack.
Unleashing her full mid-Qi Condensation Realm power, she thrust her sword forward. The blade flashed like a streak of lightning, sharp and unstoppable, arriving in front of the Otherworldly Demon in an instant.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
The Otherworldly Demon caught the blade with one massive black hand. This hand, with only three fingers, seemed to be forged from steel—indestructible and unyielding.
Gripping the sword, its palm remained unscathed.
"So this is a human cultivator? So weak!"
The black-robed Otherworldly Demon let out a mocking laugh. It clenched its hand, and with a sharp crack, shattered the blade into fragments.
Then—
Without warning, it struck out with a punch. The air exploded, as if the entire world had been shattered by its force, and a black tempest surged outward.
Boom!
Liu Qingshuang's body was sent flying again, like a kite with its string cut. She soared over a hundred meters before crashing to the ground.
That single punch had fractured nearly half the bones in her body. Even with her mid-Qi Condensation Realm cultivation, she could no longer stand.
Her severe injuries made her feel as if her life was slipping away rapidly.
"Is this the end?"
Watching the Otherworldly Demon draw closer, Liu Qingshuang's face filled with despair.
She could only watch helplessly as the Otherworldly Demon extended its massive hand toward her, ready to seize her, while she remained powerless to resist.
Just as the Otherworldly Demon's hand was about to reach her—
A sharp sound tore through the air.
A silver spear, glowing brilliantly and radiating a powerful killing intent, descended from the sky like a falling meteor.
Boom!
Wherever the silver light passed, towering ancient trees crumbled into dust, unable to withstand the overwhelming aura.
"Hm?"
Sensing the sudden danger, the Otherworldly Demon turned abruptly. But before it could react, the massive spear pierced through its chest.
A gaping hole appeared in its left chest, clean through its body.
From the wound, pitch-black blood gushed out in a steady stream.
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