Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

The language spoken by this old green mantis was no different from that of the others, only slightly stiff, just like that of the Green Mantis King and Qu Wutong.

Yanhuang Demon General already held the Green Mantis Clan in utter contempt, not even taking the Green Mantis King seriously, let alone a group of Green Mantis rebels who could only hide and flee.

He was suddenly insulted and flew into a rage. From the cracks in the black stone staff in his hand, a deep red, blazing light shone, radiating a chilling pressure as he pointed it at the swarm of green mantises.

"You ants think you can fight me to the death?"

The magma within the black stone staff surged violently, threatening to overflow at any moment and turn the area into a sea of ​​fire.

Chen Yuan suddenly flashed and stood in front of Yan Huang, the demon general, and said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Yan Huang, please calm down. We are not here to kill, so let's spare their lives for now."

Looking into Chen Yuan's calm yet unquestionable eyes, Yanhuang Yaoshuai barely suppressed his anger, let out a cold snort, and slowly put down the black stone staff in his hand.

Chen Yuan turned around, his gaze sweeping over the group of strange green mantises before finally settling on the old green mantis at the head of the group.

He smiled slightly: "Please do not make a move. We are not the evil spirits you speak of, nor are we here to take your lives. Let's talk this out."

The old green mantis glanced at Chen Yuan, then stared intently at the Green Mantis King, its harsh voice full of sarcasm: "You people are mixed up with these traitors of the Green Mantis Clan, what are you if not demons?"

The Green Mantis King roared, "Insolence! I am here by order of my ancestors to lead the Green Mantis Clan. It is my right and the rightful ruler, and I am revered by all people. You who disobey my command are the true traitors!"

The old green mantis said coldly, "It seems that your lineage has forgotten what means you used to usurp the throne back then."

"If your lineage had not succumbed to the evil spirits, bewitched your people, abandoned resistance, and willingly allowed the evil energy to enter your bodies, causing the deaths of thousands of your people, my Green Mantis Clan would not have been defeated so quickly, and the entire Green Mantis Realm would not have been occupied by the evil spirits."

"And we, the true Green Mantises, could only hide and eke out a living, and were on the verge of extinction."

"Your ancestors were the true traitors of my Green Mantis clan, the sinners of the entire Green Mantis clan, no, the entire Green Mantis world!"

A green mantis standing beside it shouted, "Elder, why waste words with these evil demons and traitors? Crush the divine stone now and perish together with them!"

"Even if my Green Mantis Clan is completely wiped out, I will never bow down and submit to evil!"

This green mantis is extremely tall, its emerald green body gleaming and glossy, full of vitality, and in its prime.

When it spoke the human language, it was even more hesitant and stiff, like metal clashing against metal, each word jumping out with a heavy tone and a sense of impending doom.

Upon hearing this, the old green mantis hesitated, its hands gripping the colorful stone tightly, yet it couldn't make up its mind.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan advised, "Please do not act rashly. If we were truly the evil spirits you speak of, we would have already taken action and would not waste our breath on you."

"Judging from your words, there seems to be a very deep secret behind the shattering of this world back then, involving the entire Green Mantis Clan, as well as those legendary 'Supreme Saints,' which are the 'demons' you mentioned."

"We have come here to explore the secrets of the Supreme Saint and why this world was shattered. We have no hostility toward you."

"Why don't we stop here for now, explain the situation, and perhaps we can lend you a hand, turn hostility into friendship, and stop the Green Mantis Clan from pursuing you all? What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, the robust green mantis immediately retorted sharply: "They are not the Green Mantis Clan, we are the true Green Mantis Clan, and we would rather die than compromise with these traitors!"

The Green Mantis King said, "Ridiculous! I have no desire to associate with you traitors..."

Chen Yuan gave him a cold glance, and the Green Mantis King trembled, feeling as if it were being targeted by a skeletal divine beast far stronger than itself. It immediately shut its mouth.

Unlike the vigorous young green mantis, the aged green mantis scrutinized Chen Yuan and his companions with its two slightly cloudy compound eyes. After a moment's hesitation, it slowly asked, "Are you truly not demons?"

Chen Yuan asked, "What are the characteristics of the 'demons' you speak of?"

The old green mantis's voice carried a hint of fear: "Demons can control all kinds of evil energy, and are extremely ferocious. Every true demon has the power to destroy the world."

Chen Yuan's aura was outwardly manifested, and a strong demonic aura soared into the sky, completely out of place with the deathly aura wandering in the world.

"We are demons, and the power we wield is completely different from the evil energy in this world. Could you prove that we are not the demons you speak of?"

Demonic energy also originates from spiritual energy, while this death energy is extremely strange and of unknown origin. It is definitely not spiritual energy and it repels demonic energy. It is obvious at a glance that the two are not from the same source.

Chen Yuan turned to look at the other four demon generals, who also revealed their auras, which were exactly the same as Chen Yuan's.

Seeing this, the old green mantis slowly loosened its grip on the colorful stone, and its hostility lessened considerably.

The other green beetles looked at each other, their heroic spirit of facing death suddenly diminished, their mouthparts opening and closing, whispering among themselves, lost in confusion.

The old green mantis hesitated and said, "The aura on your bodies is completely different from that of evil spirits. You shouldn't be those demons."

"But it is also true that you are mingling with the Green Mantis traitors, searching for our tracks, and harboring hostility towards my Green Mantis clan."

The robust green mantis gritted its teeth and said, "Even if you are not demons, more than a dozen members of my Green Mantis clan died at the hands of this Green Mantis traitor."

"How are you any different from demons, colluding with it?"

Chen Yuan's face darkened, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the aged and middle-aged Green Mantis in turn, his voice turning colder: "Which of you two is in charge?"

"Although we have no hostility, we cannot allow you to humiliate us at will."

"Whether you are true members of the Green Mantis Clan or Green Mantis traitors, taking your lives would be as easy as turning your hand."

"The reason we haven't acted immediately is simply to find out why this world was shattered, what the Supreme Saint's origins are, and to prevent the Green Mantis Clan from killing each other."

"If you insist on being our enemy, then we will not back down."

"I, Kun, would like to see whether your so-called 'mutual destruction' tactics can truly harm us."

Yanhuang Demon General laughed loudly: "Fellow Daoist Beiming is absolutely right. Why waste words with them? Just capture them and search their souls."

"A bunch of useless cowards clinging to life, what powerful methods could they possibly have? It's nothing but bluffing!"

Chen Yuan frowned and glanced at him. Seeing this, Ghost Demon General immediately sent a secret telepathic message: "Fellow Daoist Yanhuang, do not say anything more. Leave everything to Fellow Daoist Beiming."

Qiyan Demon General also tried to persuade him telepathically, and Yanhuang Demon General reluctantly shut his mouth. He just gripped the black stone staff tightly in his hand, his cold eyes filled with killing intent as he swept over the group of strange green mantises.

Faced with Chen Yuan's sudden hardening attitude, the old green mantis seemed caught off guard. After hesitating for a moment, it turned around and scolded the middle-aged green mantis.

The middle-aged green mantis was indignant. Although it did not speak again, its two emerald green compound eyes were fixed on the Yanhuang Demon General.

Three slender fingers were clenched tightly together, and the barbs on the two sharp blade arms, which were originally pressed tightly against the arms, were now all standing up, looking particularly ferocious.

The aged green mantis held the multicolored stone in one hand and gently placed the other on its chest, offering a green mantis salute to Chen Yuan, and said, "This gentleman..."

Chen Yuan said, "My name is Bei Ming. You may address me as a fellow Daoist."

The old green mantis said, "Fellow Daoist Beiming, please calm down. My green mantis clan is peaceful by nature and is by no means a bloodthirsty person."

"It's just that several fellow Daoists look extremely similar to those demons, speak the same language, and are traveling with these traitors of the Green Mantis Clan, searching for our tracks."

"I mistakenly believed that you fellow Daoists were evil spirits who had descended upon the Green Mantis Realm once again. In desperation, I could only threaten to die to gain a glimmer of hope. I did not necessarily want to be your enemy."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere immediately eased, except for the Green Mantis King, who was known as a "traitor," who was very indignant.

But with Chen Yuan and the other four around, he couldn't make a scene. He opened and closed his mouth slightly, emitting a few rapid breaths.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly and, mimicking the etiquette of the old Green Mantis, placed his hand on his chest: "May I ask how you are addressed?"

The aged Green Mantis said, "I am Fu Luo Hai, the Grand Elder of the Green Mantis Clan, and also... a true member of the Green Mantis Royal Family!"

Green Mantis King exclaimed, "The Fu family lineage? Impossible!"

The old green mantis turned to look at it, its stiff voice carrying a hint of arrogance: "It seems that the A clan has still left behind some true secrets. As long as the Green Mantis Realm is not completely destroyed, the true Green Mantis royal family will never perish."

The Green Mantis King said, word by word, "That is absolutely impossible. The Fu clan is a sinner of the Green Mantis clan and has long been exterminated by the Supreme Saint. My A clan is the only remaining Green Mantis royal family."

The old Green Mantis said, "This is a fabrication by evil demons. My lineage, Fuluo, is the royal family of the Green Mantis, while your lineage, Aqing, is the traitor of the Green Mantis clan."

Seeing that the two were about to start another endless argument, Chen Yuan frowned and said, "Fellow Daoists, please wait. Can Fellow Daoist Fu prove that you are a member of the Green Mantis Royal Family?"

The old green mantis shook its head: "My Fu clan has been hunted down by demons, and all the tokens that could prove our royal lineage have long been lost..."

The Green Mantis King coldly replied, "Without a token, how can you prove you are a member of the Green Mantis royal family?"

Just as the old green mantis was about to speak, Chen Yuan interrupted him: "Let's discuss this matter later. Regardless of whether Fellow Daoist Fu is a member of the Green Mantis royal family, he is an elder of this branch of the Green Mantis clan."

"Could you please enlighten me, Fellow Daoist Fu, on the origins of those 'Supreme Saints,' and why do you refer to them as 'demons'?"

“In A Dao You’s words, this world is called the ‘Sinful Realm’, but in Fu Dao You’s words, this world is called the ‘Green Mantis Realm’.”

"How exactly did the Green Mantis Clan come to this world, and how did this world shatter? Was it the work of Fellow Daoist Fu's ancestors?"

Fellow Daoist Guixiao nodded slightly: "What Fellow Daoist Beiming said is also what I have been wondering about."

"I observe that you all possess abundant spiritual energy, which is completely out of place with the deathly aura of this world."

"Yet it can conceal its form without revealing a trace. I wonder what methods it used. Could it be related to this 'divine stone'?"

The old Green Mantis withdrew its hand holding the five-colored stone, hesitated for a moment, and then glanced at Chen Yuan and the other four before slowly saying, "We have been forced to show ourselves today. The Green Mantis Clan is at a critical juncture of life and death, and there is nothing left to hide."

“If you are demons in disguise, then my Green Mantis clan deserves to perish.”

"But if you fellow Daoists are not demons, then the Green Mantis Clan and the remaining Green Mantis Realm still have a glimmer of hope."

"Today, I will tell you, my fellow Daoists, what happened back then, as well as the secrets that the Green Mantis Clan has guarded for thousands of years..."

Before it could finish speaking, the robust green mantis cried out urgently, "Elder, you mustn't..."

The old green mantis sternly rebuked, "Shut up! We are the last of the green mantis clan, bearing the heavy responsibility of reviving the clan. We must endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens. How can we disregard the continuation of the entire clan for the sake of momentary bravery?"

The mature green mantis trembled, its mandibles opened and closed a few times, and then it slumped down.

The aged Green Mantis turned its head, glanced at the Green Mantis King, and began to speak slowly and deliberately: "In the mouths of these traitors, my Green Mantis clan is a sinner who has committed an unforgivable crime."

"But the Supreme Sage was merciful and magnanimous, and did not annihilate the entire Green Mantis Clan. Instead, he sent down a sky full of evil energy as a test."

"As long as you pass the test of evil, you can leave the realm of sin and enter the realm of sainthood, which is the realm of those demons, and be ranked alongside the supreme saints."

"But this is entirely a lie fabricated by those traitors to deceive other people."

"This realm is not the 'Sin Realm' but the Green Mantis Realm. The 'Supreme Saint' that these Green Mantis traitors speak of is actually a demon that has invaded the Green Mantis Realm!"

“They came from a ‘sacred realm’, invaded the Green Mantis Realm, and enslaved the vast majority of the Green Mantis race.”

"The A clan, which was originally insignificant in the royal family, shamelessly sided with the demons, betrayed the entire Green Mantis clan, and willingly became slaves of the demons."

"Only a very small number of Green Mantis Clan members, under the leadership of my Fu Clan, have put up a stubborn resistance, trying to reclaim the Green Mantis Realm from the evil forces."

"But the demons are just too powerful. Even the Green Mantis Clan at its peak were no match for them, let alone just a remnant of the clan."

"My ancestors, the Fu clan, could only lead their loyal clansmen to flee in all directions, hiding from the pursuit of evil spirits. Their strength grew weaker and weaker, and they were on the verge of being completely wiped out."

"But the Green Mantis Realm will always be the Green Mantis Realm of my Green Mantis Clan, and it will never be occupied by evil spirits."

"Just when our ancestors were in dire straits and had nowhere to turn, they suddenly received divine revelation."

"He led the remaining members of his tribe to this cave, found the place of divine revelation, and under the guidance of the gods, severely damaged the demon army."

"Although the Green Mantis Realm was shattered as a result, if it weren't for this, the entire Green Mantis Realm would have been occupied by demons, and my Green Mantis Clan would have been plunged into an abyss of no return, forever enslaved by demons."

"Fortunately, under the protection of the gods, the Land of Divine Revelation was preserved, and the ancestors of my Fu clan survived and continued to protect the Land of Divine Revelation."

"It's a pity that the traitors of the A clan, in order to maintain the status of the royal family, are willing to become the lackeys of evil, and even deceive themselves by serving the evil as their master."

They call themselves "sinners," taking evil as spiritual energy and demons as saints. They even divide themselves into lower-class green mantises and green mantis nobles, enslaving other members of their race.

"They kept sending Green Mantises to hunt down us true Green Mantises, forcing us to hide and eke out a living."

"Over the past few thousand years, the number of our people has dwindled, and now only 137 remain. Even the Land of Divine Revelation has been forced to be exposed..."

The Green Mantis King retorted sharply, "Nonsense! The spiritual energy is clearly a test sent down by the Supreme Saint, and all Green Mantises can gain power from it."

“Those low-ranking green worms cannot pass the test of the Supreme Saint, so of course they are not worthy to be ranked with the green worm nobles who have passed the test.”

"And my lineage of Green Mantis Kings has always been able to obtain the greatest power from spiritual energy, making them the most powerful Green Mantises. It is only right and proper for them to lead the entire Green Mantis clan."

“You are the traitors, you have failed the Emperor’s benevolence.”

“If you were truly protected by the gods, you wouldn’t be hiding in this cave, and my army would have come knocking on your door.”

The robust green mantis suddenly raised its head: "You are not allowed to insult the gods!"

The old green mantis waved its hand, looked at the Green Mantis King, and said coldly, "If these evil energies are truly a test from the 'Supreme Saint,' why can't the green mantis absorb them directly?"

The Green Mantis King said, "This is also one of the tests of the Supreme Saint. If we can directly absorb spiritual energy, it would be too easy to pass the test and would not show the sincere repentance of my Green Mantis Clan."

The old Green Mantis said, "Stop deceiving yourselves. This evil energy that permeates the world is a means by which demons have introduced evil spirits. They want to transform the Green Mantis Realm into an interface suitable for demons to live in, and completely dominate the Green Mantis Realm."

"Our Green Mantis Clan is naturally incompatible with evil energy, which is why we cannot directly absorb it. We are forced to devour the flesh and blood of evil beasts, and there is even the risk of being devoured by the evil energy and dying."

"With your strength, the evil energy within your body is already extremely pure. You must be living in constant fear, afraid that without the evil crystals to provide you with evil energy, you will die from the backlash of evil energy, right?"

"Moreover, the lifespan of a green mantis that has been infected by evil spirits will be greatly reduced."

"Ordinary green mantises live for less than a hundred years, and even a green mantis like you with such pure evil energy in its body can only live for a few hundred years."

"Your lineage is relatively lucky. Your bloodline was once modified by a demon using a secret technique, making you more adaptable to death energy than other green mantises."

“We true Green Mantises, though far weaker than you, can live for hundreds or thousands of years without any difficulty.”

“I am 753 years old this year, and my lifespan far exceeds yours. This is the best proof.”

The Green Mantis King was silent for a moment, then said, "If what you say is true, and spiritual energy is the means by which the Supreme Saint transforms the Green Mantis Realm, then why go to such great lengths to allow Green Mantises who pass the test to enter the Holy Realm and thus be ranked alongside the Supreme Saint?"

The old green mantis said, "How could a demon be so kind? That's just a lie fabricated by your ancestors."

"The evil spirits are ruthless, cruel, and violent. They not only invade the Green Mantis Realm, but also other realms. Wherever they go, they bring evil energy and enslave the creatures of that realm."

“Those races that can withstand the evil energy will enter the ‘holy realm’ mentioned by the demons, become the demons’ servants, and fight wars everywhere under the demons’ leadership.”

"The vast majority of green mantises die violent deaths, and very few survive and truly integrate into the evil."

It paused for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at Chen Yuan and the other four: "Although you fellow Daoists are not demons, you resemble demons in appearance and should know the origins of demons. Everything I have said is true, and I urge you fellow Daoists to see for yourselves."

The demon general frowned, stroked his beard, and slowly said, "Although I have never seen such evil energy before, if what Fellow Daoist Fu says is true, the actions of this 'demon' are quite similar to those of a powerful race that I know of."

The old green mantis opened its two compound eyes wide: "Fellow Daoist, have you also seen demons?"

Ghost Demon General shook his head slightly: "I don't know if the 'demons' that Fellow Daoist Fu mentioned are the same race as this powerful race."

"But this powerful race also calls its own realm the 'Holy Realm,' and is extremely ferocious, invading all realms."

"Wherever it goes, it will introduce demonic energy, transform the interface, and turn the native races into a demon army that will conquer everywhere."

The old green mantis gritted its teeth and said, "This must be some kind of demon. May I ask, fellow Daoist, what race does it belong to?"

The Demon General Gui Xiao said, word by word, "This powerful race is called the Ancient Demons, who call themselves the 'Holy Race,' and the realm they reside in is the 'Ancient Demon Realm,' which calls itself the 'Holy Realm'!"

The old green mantis murmured, "Ancient Demon... Holy Realm..."

Qi Yan Demon General nodded in agreement: "After hearing what Fellow Daoist Fu said just now, I also thought of the Ancient Demon Realm."

"All living beings in all realms rely on spiritual energy as their source. Although my demon race and the human race are sworn enemies, we also absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cultivate."

"Only the ancient demons absorb demonic energy, which is incompatible with other races. They are the most peculiar and also the most fond of using demonic energy to modify the interface they occupy."

"But this fragment of the interface is filled with death energy, not demonic energy, and it doesn't seem to be the work of an ancient demon."

Chen Yuan's eyes flashed, and he said, "The myriad realms are full of wonders. That 'demon' may not be an ancient demon, but another powerful race that uses death energy as its source."

"But now it seems that our previous guesses may have been wrong. The Green Mantis Clan are not sinners who migrated from the Holy Realm, but natives of this world."

“Those ‘supreme saints’ are the ‘evil spirits’ that have invaded this world.”

"Now that the Green Mantis Realm is completely shattered, and those demons have not appeared for a long time, they should no longer come to fight for this fragment of the realm. We can rest assured."

Ironwing Demon General laughed and said, "That's right. No matter what the origin of that demon is, they can no longer come to this fragment of the interface. The most important thing is that we no longer need to worry about anything."

The Green Mantis King remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "I still don't believe that there are gods in this world."

"Otherwise, why didn't he appear to stop the demons when they descended, and instead caused the entire Green Mantis Realm to shatter? This is definitely not the work of a god."

The old green mantis turned around and glanced at the hundred or so green mantises behind it. Then it turned back, its mouthparts opening and closing, its voice low and tinged with sorrow: "Of course there are no gods in this world."

"The deity I speak of is the original consciousness of the Green Mantis Realm, which is the 'Heavenly Way' of the Green Mantis Realm. It only has the instinct to protect the Green Mantis Realm."

"The Green Mantis Realm was originally filled with spiritual energy, but evil spirits introduced evil energy in an attempt to transform the entire Green Mantis Realm, which aroused the resistance of the Heavenly Dao."

"However, the demons are too powerful, and even the Heavenly Dao is no match for them. We have no choice but to fight to the death, sacrificing the entire Green Mantis Realm to severely damage the demon army."

"Only by preserving a trace of its original essence could this fragment of the Green Mantis Realm be preserved, and it has not been completely broken for thousands of years."

These words caused a commotion among the green mantises. All of them looked over, their mouthparts opening and closing repeatedly, emitting sharp cries.

The robust green mantis trembled violently, exclaiming incredulously, "Elder, the gods are fake? What about the protection they bestowed upon us?!"

"This divine stone is clearly imbued with the consciousness of a deity. I can feel the great power of the deity, as solid as the earth and as vast as the sea!"

The old green mantis sighed, "The green mantis clan is too weak and the demons are too powerful. Our ancestors could only lie and say that they were protected by the gods. In reality, they had only found the origin of the interface, which is the 'Heavenly Dao'."

"But the 'Heavenly Way' has the instinct to protect the Green Mantis Realm. Without the protection of the Heavenly Way, the Green Mantis Clan would have been wiped out long ago."

"It is not an exaggeration to say that 'Heavenly Dao' is the god of the Green Mantis Clan, except that it has no intelligence."

The hundred or so green mantises gradually quieted down, while the mature green mantis remained silent and stunned.

The Demon General Yanhuang was filled with astonishment: "The Heavenly Dao... There really is a Heavenly Dao in this world?"

Chen Yuan asked solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Fu, is what you say true?"

The other three demon generals also stared intently at the old green mantis, their eyes gleaming with a strange light.

The old green mantis said helplessly, "Now that things have come to this, what else can I hide? The Heavenly Dao does exist, or rather, the origin of the realm is located in the deepest part of the cave."

It held up the colorful stone in its hand: "This divine stone has absorbed a trace of the power of the interface's origin."

"As long as I crush it, it will immediately detonate the essence of the interface."

"This fragment of the interface will also be destroyed, and all living beings in the fragment will die without a burial place."

Everyone's expression changed, and even the look of the Demon General Yanhuang towards the old Green Mantis no longer held any contempt.

It turned out that the old green mantis was not bluffing. Fortunately, Chen Yuan dealt with it properly, otherwise, if it had crushed this colorful stone, he would have been buried with it.

Chen Yuan said gently, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Fellow Daoist Fu. The misunderstanding has now been resolved, so there is no need to take action. It would be best if you put the divine stone away."

The old green mantis said, "We have all left the Land of Divine Revelation and gathered in one place. We need the protection of the divine stone to avoid being corrupted by evil energy."

"However, Fellow Daoist Beiming, rest assured, unless absolutely necessary, I do not wish for a fight to the death."

“Since you fellow Daoists are not evil spirits, I naturally will not crush the divine stone.”

The five were relieved. Chen Yuan asked, "May we enter the 'Land of Divine Revelation' for a look?"

The old green mantis hesitated for a moment, then the demon general Qiyan spoke up: "Fellow Daoist Fu, rest assured, we are just quite curious about the 'Heavenly Dao' you mentioned."

"Fellow Daoist Fu holds the divine stone; we would never risk our lives."

The other three demon generals nodded in agreement, and the old Green Mantis finally agreed: "Even if you fellow Daoists hadn't said so, I would still have invited you inside. Please follow me."

It paused for a moment, looked at the Green Mantis King, and said in a colder tone, "If you are interested, you may also enter the 'Land of Divine Revelation' for a look."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the cave, followed closely by the other green mantises who filed in.

Chen Yuan and his group of five also descended in their escape light. The Green Mantis King was taken aback, but then followed suit.

The group disappeared into the depths of the cave. The green mantises, who were ordered by the Green Mantis King to guard the distance, did not dare to approach, but became even more vigilant.

Chen Yuan and the others entered the cave and passed through an invisible barrier. They were enveloped by pure spiritual energy, with not a trace of death energy present.

The cave entrance is narrow, but the interior is quite spacious, enough for several people to walk side by side, and the further in you go, the wider the passage becomes.

The aged green mantis in front put away the five-colored strange stone, and the Fiery Demon General secretly transmitted his voice to the group: "Judging from his aura, this Fuluo Sea only has the cultivation of a mid-level demon general, far inferior to us. We should take this opportunity to capture him..."

Some of them were tempted, but Chen Yuan replied telepathically, "No, although its cultivation is not high, it has been with this 'Heavenly Dao' for many years, so it may have other methods."

"If it detonates the core of the interface, we will all perish."

"Let's wait and see. If what he says is true, and there really is a 'Heavenly Way' in the world, then that will be the greatest gain of our trip."

Qi Yan, the Demon General, said, "Fellow Daoist Bei Ming is absolutely right. The origin of the Heavenly Dao of a realm must be an extremely precious treasure."

"Even if we cannot divide it up, as long as we can comprehend it for a moment, we will benefit greatly, and perhaps we will be able to glimpse the realm of the Demon King."

The Demon General Guixiao said, "I still have some doubts. The 'Heavenly Dao' is ethereal and elusive. This Fuluohai's cultivation is only equivalent to a mid-level demon general, yet he can control the 'Heavenly Dao.' It's too bizarre."

"Could it be that some kind of trap has been set deep inside this cave to ambush us?"

Ironwing Demon General laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Ghost Demon, you are overthinking it. The five of us working together are invincible in this fragment of the interface. What tricks could a mere mid-level demon general possibly have?"

Chen Yuan said, "If what Fu Luo Hai said is true, as long as it crushes this strange stone, this fragment of the interface will shatter."

"As long as we are in the interface fragments, there is no way to escape, and no amount of caution will help."

"If what he said is false, no matter what means he uses, he cannot possibly harm us with the strength of a mid-level demon general, so there is no need to worry."

Upon hearing this, everyone had no more doubts and followed Fu Luohai deeper into the cave.

The passage ahead widened until it was several meters wide, revealing traces of human excavation, and extended diagonally downwards.

A golden moss grows on the stone walls on both sides and the top, emitting a dim light that gathers together and illuminates the dark cave.

After walking for a thousand feet, the view suddenly opened up, and they arrived at a vast underground cavern.

The dome is several tens of feet high, covered with golden moss, and shines with a sunlight-like glow.

The surrounding area was covered with cactus-like plants, about ten feet tall, but their broad, thick leaves had no thorns.

Hundreds of enormous, rhinoceros-like beasts slowly chewed on the leaves of these plants, their bodies covered in strong muscles, their eyes gentle and curious as they observed Chen Yuan and the others.

Rows of wooden houses hang below the dome, connected by a dozen or so thin, thick, dark green vines.

A gentle breeze, seemingly from nowhere, swayed the wooden house softly, making a slight creaking sound.

The Green Mantis King was surrounded by deathly energy, which was completely out of place with the spiritual energy in the underground cave. As soon as it appeared, it disrupted the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The rhinoceros beast panicked and fled in all directions, only calming down after being soothed by the strange green mantises.

The old green mantis instructed the other green mantises to stay behind, and then, together with the middle-aged green mantis, led Chen Yuan and the other five people, as well as the Green Mantis King, deeper into the cave.

This underground cavern is extremely vast, but it also has an end.

After flying several thousand feet, the group was blocked by a tall, tightly closed stone gate.

The door is painted with intricate emerald green spiritual patterns, emanating a gentle and pure spiritual energy that nourishes the creatures in the underground cave.

The old green mantis stopped, and everyone examined the massive stone gate, which was ten zhang tall. The Demon General Qiyan spoke up: "Beyond this gate lies the place where the 'Heavenly Dao' resides?"

The old green mantis stared at the stone gate and said in a low voice, "Indeed, the existence of the 'Heavenly Dao' means we don't need to fear the erosion of evil energy."

"But the Heavenly Dao itself is also being eroded by evil forces, even a hundred times more vicious than evil forces..."

"Further words are unnecessary; fellow Daoists will understand at a glance."

Having said that, it flew forward, raised its hands, and placed them on the gate. A burst of spiritual light surged from its hands, extending along the emerald green spiritual patterns on the gate and covering the entire stone gate.

The gate emitted a clear chime, its spiritual patterns shimmering, and slowly opened a crack.

Several wisps of faint green spiritual energy surged out, pure yet tinged with an eerie quality, exuding a strange aura.

The old green mantis turned around: "Fellow Daoists, hurry up and follow!"

After saying that, it turned and flew into the gate. The crowd hesitated for a moment, then followed. Its figure disappeared into the gate.

The stone gate emitted another clear sound and slowly closed.

More than a hundred green mantises hung in the air in the distance, gazing at this place, their compound eyes blinking incessantly, exuding an uneasy aura.

The mature green mantis opened and closed its mouthparts, making a very stern sound, which caused the other green mantises to disperse.

But it remained where it was, gazing at the stone gate, its mouth opening and closing slightly, murmuring to itself. (End of Chapter)