Chapter 128: The Terrifying Courtyard

He ran forward with all his might. Within this small mountain village, he felt an indescribable pressure. His demonic power was completely unusable here; he could only run, for he could no longer fly. Despite his strength as a Profound Demon, he found himself unable to resist the forces at play. This place was comparable to the most formidable forbidden zones of the Immortal Realm. What could possibly exist here that made things so difficult for them?

However, with pursuers hot on his heels, Ming Yexin had no time to ponder such things. His only priority was to carry the young girl to safety. Shang Yu had chased Ming Yexin all the way into the village, and just as he was about to catch up, he was forced to drop to the ground. Any attempt to take flight or accelerate proved futile; he simply could not muster the speed.

"What kind of hellish place is this? How is this possible?" Shang Yu was incredulous. Just as he was mired in confusion, Ming Yexin and the girl were about to vanish from his sight. Unable to dwell on it further, Shang Yu broke into a sprint. "I must retrieve the Primal Soul today!" No matter how eerie this village was, he had to press on.

The two men chased one another, their speed still impressive despite the suppression of their powers. Soon, a small courtyard appeared before Ming Yexin. Just as he intended to rush past it, the young girl suddenly spoke up, "Stop, quickly."

"What place is this?" Ming Yexin gazed at the courtyard, noting, "This small yard is brimming with immortal energy, and the Great Dao flows through it..." A flicker of despair crossed his eyes. "Your Highness, it is highly likely that someone from the Immortal Realm is living in seclusion here—and they are no ordinary immortal! We have stumbled out of the frying pan and into the fire, caught between pursuers and a tiger."

The Demon Race and the Immortal Realm had been at odds for thousands of years, with frequent battles along their borders. For the Demon Lord to run straight into the hands of an immortal before even gathering all fragments of the Primal Soul meant they were likely doomed.

The young girl stared at Zhu Xiaoyuan’s courtyard for a long time, lost in thought. After a moment, she tapped Ming Yexin. "Let’s go inside and see."

"Your Highness, we cannot go in! This is the home of an immortal master; isn't that just seeking death?" Ming Yexin tried to stop her, but the girl ignored him, leaping from his back.

"I don't think so. Why would a master of the Immortal Realm be hiding in a tiny place like the Heaven Martial World? I feel we have a connection; perhaps this person is waiting for me?" With that, she stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Is anyone home?"

Ming Yexin attempted to intervene, but the moment he took a single step, he felt a terrifying force crush down upon him, rendering him unable to move. Even with his cultivation as a Profound Demon, he could not contend with this power. He felt as helpless as an ordinary mortal. Terror filled his face; what kind of monstrous existence resided in this courtyard that he could be suppressed by merely taking a step? He dared not move a muscle, fearing he might be reduced to dust. He wondered how the Demon Lord had managed to approach; perhaps it was because she had just awakened and possessed no power, thus not registering as a demonic cultivator.

Inside the courtyard, Zhu Xiaoyuan was instructing his disciples when he heard the knocking and the call. "Ruofeng, go see who it is," he said.

Ruofeng opened the gate and saw the young girl standing there. She wore a simple, rough hemp robe and looked pale and pitiful. "Is there something you need, little sister?" Ruofeng asked, confused.

"Big sister, please save us! There are bad people chasing us. My... uncle and I have been running, and I’m so scared... wuu wuu." The girl sounded even more miserable. Ruofeng looked past her to see Ming Yexin, an old man, leaning on his knees and gasping for air, drenched in sweat. Having transcended the boundaries of a mortal, Ruofeng could tell that the old man was a cultivator of no small ability.

"Come inside with me, little one. We can talk in a moment," Ruofeng said, picking the girl up and carrying her into the yard.

The moment they entered, the girl’s eyes widened, filled with sheer horror. A flat peach tree hung its branches before her; the goldfish in the small pond flickered their tails; even the hen pecking at its feed paused. The girl blinked, tears welling up. "I didn't mean to come in... wuu wuu... please don't hit me, I'm very obedient... I'm not a bad person," she whispered. Everything in the yard terrified her. What kind of place was this? How could there be so many overwhelming existences? She regretted entering.

Zhu Xiaoyuan stood to the side and asked, "Ruofeng, what is going on?"

His voice echoed in the girl’s ears, and instantly, the terrifying sense of being watched vanished. She wiped her tears and looked toward the source of the voice—the man sitting at the table must be the owner of this courtyard. Her large eyes were full of curiosity. How could someone so young command such terrifying entities? It was unthinkable! She suspected he was no simple figure; he had to be at the level of an ancient god.

Ruofeng replied, "Master, this girl knocked on the door saying she was being chased. She looked so pitiful that I brought her in." She set the girl down.

Zhu Xiaoyuan scrutinized the girl. Despite her plain robe, she was delicate and fair-skinned. Scenes from modern television dramas flashed through his mind, leading him to conclude that the girl was surely hiding her identity to avoid attention. Seeing her pale face, he assumed she must be ill.