"Forget it, I'll handle this." Lin Yu shook his head with a chuckle. Before Su Miaozhen could respond, he released the terrifying pressure of a Myriad Manifestations cultivator toward Liang Guanfeng.
Rumble!
The pressure surged like a mountain, reducing trees and rocks to dust in its path.
"Myriad Manifestations cultivator! Who... who are you?" Desperation filled Liang Guanfeng's eyes. How could this mysterious figure, whose spiritual energy波动 (fluctuation) was only Third Grade, suddenly unleash thecoercion (aura) of a Myriad Manifestations expert?
He gripped his long blade, slashing out a mass of red flames with all his might. But the flames were snuffed out by the oncoming pressure, and his blade shattered into fragments under the冲击 (impact). Before Liang Guanfeng could flee, the pressure碾碎 (crushed) him into a mist of blood, vanishing from Su Miaozhen's sight.
"Elder... Senior!" Su Miaozhen gaped, hardly believing her eyes. Liang Guanfeng, a powerful Purple Mansion cultivator, had been reduced to powder by the mysterious figure's aura. She exhaled deeply and bowed respectfully. "May I ask your name? I will铭记 (remember) this lifesaving grace."
Lin Yu smiled inwardly and waved his hand. "I have some connection to Great Zhou. Saving you was merely a favor; don't dwell on it." In truth, his bond was with Su Miaozhen, not the dynasty.
Su Miaozhen looked up in惊喜 (surprise). "Senior, are you the Buddhist expert who solved the sealed demon at Lanruo Temple?" The only Myriad Manifestations cultivator with ties to Great Zhou she could imagine was that mysterious Buddhist master.
"The demons at Lanruo Temple..." Lin Yu glanced at her in surprise and nodded. "I'll investigate these demon cultivators' plot. Your strength is too low—don't follow." With that, he headed for the mountain Liang Guanfeng had intended to reach, vanishing in an instant.
"So it really is him..." Su Miaozhen was astonished that the legendary Buddhist expert had appeared before her.
"Miaozhen... What senior are you talking about?" Zhou Lingyun, who had fainted, woke up confused. She grasped her sword, searching for Liang Guanfeng. "Eh? Where's that demon cultivator?"
"Princess Lingyun, the Buddhist senior appeared and killed him!" Su Miaozhen said excitedly. "He truly has a connection to Great Zhou—now we have a Myriad Manifestations expert to protect us!"
"Buddhist senior?" Zhou Lingyun looked puzzled until Su Miaozhen explained, and she nodded in relief.
...
As Lin Yu advanced, he frowned at the valley ahead, where滔天 (overwhelming) demon qi surged. Young prodigies from various sects entered under the lead of demon cultivators, never to be seen again. The valley lay silent, like a beast waiting to devour its prey.
Lin Yu sensed several demon cultivator sentries at the valley's edge, but his Saint Emperor Sword Body let him conceal his spiritual energy, slipping past invisibly. Inside, a crowd of prodigies from different forces glared at a black-robed elder at the valley's end.
"Elder Sun, where is the spirit crystal vein you mentioned?"
"There's not even a spirit stone here—we were tricked!"
"Sun, what's your ulterior motive in luring us here?"
The prodigies grew indignant, realizing they'd been deceived. Elder Sun ignored them, kneeling before a mirror-smooth mountain wall. "Sect Master, prodigies from all forces are here. Shall we proceed to the next step?" His voice was deeply humble.
Suddenly, thick demon qi welled from the wall like a black cloud, and ripples erased the wall from view.
"Eh! What's that?" The crowd gasped at the sight: a百丈 (hundred-zhang) altar of white bones and blood, centered by a three-zhang-long, one-zhang-wide blood-red coffin. Skull chains coiled around it, each human skull wailing pitifully, creating a howling wind through the valley.
"Elder Sun, well done. With these prodigies' fresh flesh, we shall awaken the Evil God!" The blood-robed elder stepped forward, laughing triumphantly.
"Demon! You can't cover the sky! This is an ancient sect ruin—we can leave anytime. How will you sacrifice us?"
"Right! Holding these jade talismans, we can depart at will. These demon cultivators must be mad!"
"Let's go! Demon cultivators here are all Purple Mansion—staying means death. No opportunity is worth our lives!"
Prodigies took out their jade talismans and channeled spiritual energy, but the talismans remained inert.
"Hahaha! Found them useless, have you?" The blood-robed elder mocked. "Once the Demon Mountain Formation activated, this blessed land sealed shut. Escape requires becoming part of the Evil God or slaying all of us."