You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

"Now! Let's go!"

Without hesitation, Qiu Niu, Xing San, Su Meng, and Liu Piaopiao followed Chen Yang closely. From the edge of a relatively weak area of ​​the protective barrier, which was slightly unstable due to energy fluctuations, they used their movement techniques to dart out like five wisps of smoke, instantly disappearing into the darkness outside the safe zone.

Their movements were swift and stealthy, and they did not attract much attention in the chaos.

But the group of young men in blue robes who had been on guard against them saw it all clearly.

"Boss!"

They...they ran away!

One of his men pointed in the direction where Chen Yang and the others had disappeared and exclaimed in surprise.

"Running outside now? Are they crazy? The outside is teeming with monsters!"

The other person scoffed.

"Exactly, are we just going out to die? If the monsters find us, there won't even be any bones left!"

The young man in the green robe frowned, staring intently at the direction where Chen Yang and the others had disappeared. He then glanced back at the increasingly ferocious white demon and the crumbling barrier light ahead, his mind racing.

He was chosen as the leader by his fellow disciples, so he was certainly not a complete fool.

Chen Yang's group is incredibly powerful, and their leader is even more unfathomable. Their decision to venture out at this time is definitely not just to die!

Something's not right...

The young man surnamed Zhao murmured, a hint of struggle flashing in his eyes, which then turned into a ruthless look.

"Let's go! Let's go too! Let's catch up with them!"

"Huh? Boss, are we going out too? Outside..."

The men were taken aback and looked at each other in disbelief.

"Come with me if you don't want to die!"

The young man surnamed Zhao growled.

"Didn't you see how terrifying that white monster was!"
This formation definitely won't last long! If we stay here, and the barrier breaks, thousands upon thousands of demons will flood in, and we'll all be dead! Staying with Chen Yang and the others might offer a sliver of hope!
"If they dare to go out, they might know a way to survive!"

Upon hearing this, his subordinates realized what he meant, and their faces showed fear and hesitation.

"But boss... it's too dangerous..."

"Those who are willing to come with me, leave now! Those who are not, stay here and fend for yourselves! Life and death are predestined, don't blame me for not warning you later!"

Without further ado, the young man surnamed Zhao gritted his teeth and cautiously reached out to touch the protective barrier in the direction Chen Yang and the others had left.

In the end, apart from two who were too scared to go out, the other four or five people stamped their feet and rushed out with the young man surnamed Zhao, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

The two who remained watched their companion's disappearing figure, and then looked at the increasingly horrifying scene ahead. Their faces drained of color, and they could only tremble and huddle together, praying that the restriction could hold.

……

After Chen Yang and his group of five rushed out of the safe zone, they did not run around blindly.

Chen Yang took the lead, fully activating his divine sense to perceive the surrounding movements.

As expected, most of the monsters were summoned to the front by the white monster, and very few monsters roamed the wilderness behind.

Occasionally, when he encountered one or two lone creatures, Chen Yang would swiftly eliminate them with lightning speed. Under the Xuan Sword, there were almost no enemies who could withstand a single blow, ensuring that he would not cause too much of a commotion.

"Chen Yang, someone's following us! It's that group from before!"

Qiuniu looked back and whispered, his tone somewhat worried.

Chen Yang didn't even turn his head, and said calmly.

"We discovered it a long time ago."

Ignore them; if they want to follow, let them follow.

In a crucial moment, they might even be able to draw our attention away from us.

Upon hearing this, Xing San chuckled.

That's right!
They asked to come along and risk their lives, so they can't blame us. If we really run into danger, we'll see who can run the fastest.

So the five of them ignored the elusive tail behind them and sped through the night in the direction Chen Yang had chosen.

They deliberately chose routes with complex terrain that made them easy to hide, sometimes crossing dry riverbeds and sometimes going around rocky mountain valleys.

After running for about ten miles, they had completely left that noisy and chaotic safe zone.

They climbed to a higher hillside and looked back, only to see that the area in the distance that had been shrouded in light was now in complete chaos!
The protective barrier flickered violently a few times, and with a deafening cracking sound and the excited roars of countless demons, it finally collapsed and annihilated completely!
Immediately following was a cacophony of shrill screams, the light of exploding spells, and the roars of monsters, which could be faintly heard even from this distance.

"It's broken... the barrier has really been breached!"

Su Meng covered her mouth, her face pale and her voice trembling.

"Thank goodness... if we had left a moment later..."

Liu Piaopiao was also still shaken.

Qiuniu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Chen Yang, thank goodness for your decisiveness! Otherwise, we'd probably be trapped here by now!"

Chen Yang gazed calmly at the hellish scene in the distance.

"Let's go, get away from here."

The demons will need some time to slaughter those cultivators; their attacks won't spread too far immediately. Let's hurry and find a safer place to spend the night.

Without further delay, he led the four men deeper into the darkness. After walking for a while, Chen Yang's gaze fell upon a dark mountain range ahead.

It was the entrance to a valley embraced by two low hills, resembling a giant mouth in the night.

"Let's go to that valley."

Chen Yang pointed in the direction.

"valley?"

Qiuniu was taken aback, and quickly replied.

"Chen Yang, this won't do, will it?"

The valley is enclosed; if the monsters discover us and trap us inside, we'll be like turtles in a barrel!
There's nowhere to run!

Su Meng also expressed her concerns.

"Yes, Senior Brother Chen Yang, those demons have a keen sense of smell and can track scents. If we go in, wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

Chen Yang, however, seemed confident, speaking with certainty.

"Don't worry, come in with me. They won't be able to find us. I have my own ways to conceal our presence and confuse our tracking."

Seeing Chen Yang's confidence, Qiu Niu, Xing San, and Su Meng, though still harboring doubts, no longer objected because Chen Yang's performance along the way had already earned their absolute trust.

Liu Piaopiao, on the other hand, unconditionally believed in Chen Yang's decision.

The five then turned and headed toward the entrance to the valley.

The entrance to the valley is narrow, allowing only two or three people to walk side by side. The interior seems quite deep and dark, and it is difficult to see clearly in the darkness.

However, just as they were about to step into the valley, they heard a series of hurried and disordered footsteps behind them.

The young man surnamed Zhao, along with his four or five panting and disheveled men, also arrived. They had been following Chen Yang's trail with bated breath, and now that they saw Chen Yang and his group about to enter the valley, a glint of light flashed in the young man's eyes, as if he had grasped at a lifeline. He immediately led his men to follow them in.

"stop!"

Chen Yang turned around and stood in front of the valley entrance, his cold gaze sweeping over the group of young men surnamed Zhao.

"This is where we found it first, it's our base. If you want to hide, get far away and find somewhere else."

The young man surnamed Zhao felt a chill run down his spine under Chen Yang's gaze, but after glancing at the countless dangers that might lurk in the dark wilderness behind him, and then at the seemingly relatively secluded valley in front of him, his will to survive overcame his fear.

He forced himself to straighten his chest and stiffen his neck as he spoke.

"Chen Yang! Don't be so domineering!"
"Do you own this trial ground? Does this valley have your name on it? We can go wherever we want, it's none of your business! This place doesn't belong to you alone!"

Faced with the blustering but cowardly shouts of the young man surnamed Zhao, Chen Yang merely glanced at him indifferently. There was no anger or argument in his eyes; instead, his calmness was unsettling.

He didn't say anything more, but simply turned around and said a few words to Qiuniu, Xing San and the others behind him.

"Let's go, let's go somewhere else."

Having said that, he led the way in the opposite direction from the valley, continuing into the depths of darkness. Although Qiu Niu, Liu Piaopiao, and the others didn't understand why, they were already used to obeying Chen Yang's decisions and immediately followed. The group quickly disappeared into the vast night, leaving only the young man surnamed Zhao and his group standing dumbfounded at the entrance of the valley.

"Boss...should we still follow?"

One of his men watched Chen Yang and the others walk away and asked hesitantly.

Having suffered repeated setbacks at Chen Yang's hands, they were all filled with apprehension. They were afraid of losing their chance to survive by following him, but also afraid of getting into further conflict or being taken advantage of.

The young man surnamed Zhao stared at the direction where Chen Yang and the others had disappeared, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

He carefully recalled Chen Yang's reaction just now—it was too decisive! So decisive that it didn't seem like the assertive style he had previously displayed.

If Chen Yang truly wanted to monopolize the valley, he could have easily driven them away or even attacked them with his strength. Why would he retreat himself? Unless... there's something wrong with this valley? Or perhaps he doesn't care about this valley at all and deliberately lured us here?

As soon as this thought arose, Senior Brother Zhao felt a sudden sense of clarity!
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!

Chen Yang's group is strong and resourceful. Since they chose to come in this direction in the first place and almost entered this valley, it means that they probably judged this road to be relatively safe, or that there was a suitable place to hide nearby!
Their retreat later might have been simply to avoid getting entangled with us, or... a deliberate attempt to create confusion?
"I'm not following anymore!"

Senior Brother Zhao gritted his teeth and made a decision, pointing to the dark entrance to the valley in front of him.

"Since they initially wanted to come here, it means this place is likely safe!"

At least it's better than running around outside! Let's go inside! Let's find a secluded corner to hide in and get through the night!

"But boss, what if there's danger inside..."

His subordinates were still worried.

"There's no danger outside?!"

"Senior Brother Zhao roared."

"If we stay outside and the monsters spread over, we'll be sitting ducks! Let's go in! Let's take a gamble!"

Without further hesitation, he cautiously stepped into the valley first.

The remaining few looked at each other and had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow them inside.

The valley was pitch black and silent, with only their own footsteps and heavy breathing echoing, adding to the eeriness of the place.

……

On the other side, Chen Yang led the four of them on a rapid journey of dozens of miles in the night.

The terrain in this hilly area is complex, so they deliberately chose difficult paths, sometimes climbing and sometimes detouring, completely getting away from the previous area.

Finally, after crossing a ridge covered with low shrubs, another mountain valley appeared ahead, surrounded by two low hills. The entrance was even more hidden than the previous one, half-hidden by dense vines and rocks. If Chen Yang hadn't had such keen senses, he would have hardly noticed it.

"There's a valley here too!"

Qiuniu's eyes lit up.

"Now no one should bother us!"

Chen Yang nodded.

"Go in, everyone be careful."

He was the first to push aside the vines and go inside.

Liu Piaopiao, Qiuniu, Xing San, and Su Meng followed in turn.

Upon entering the valley, it was more spacious than expected, resembling a gourd-shaped depression embraced by the mountain. The ground was relatively flat, covered with some shade-tolerant weeds and moss.

Most importantly, the atmosphere here seems exceptionally calm; even the chirping of insects that usually occurs at night is almost inaudible.

After everyone had entered, Chen Yang walked at the back seemingly casually, his gaze sweeping over the few traces they had left at the entrance, while silently reciting something in his mind.

"Li Rou, have we cleaned up all the traces and clues we left along the way?"

"Don't worry, Master."

Li Rou's cool, slightly weary voice rang in his mind.

"I used my soul power to initially interfere and conceal, erasing your remaining life force and traces."

Unless it's a monster proficient in high-level tracking spells or possessing an exceptionally powerful sense of smell, it shouldn't be able to track this place down in a short time.

Chen Yang felt somewhat relieved and asked again.

"You didn't investigate the traces of that young man surnamed Zhao and his group in the valley before, did you?"

Li Rou's voice seemed to carry a very faint smile.

"Of course not. Master, you deliberately changed direction to lure them into a trap, why would I add anything unnecessary? Their aura and footprints are very clear, which can attract the attention of some of the demons and relieve the pressure on our side."

Chen Yang's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

How do you know I did it on purpose?

"Don't I know you well enough?"

Li Rou's tone carried a hint of understanding.

"Given your personality, if you truly coveted that valley, would you have given up so easily because of a few words of nonsense? You were simply going with the flow, getting rid of the sycophants while also giving them a 'gift.' Master, your methods of using others to eliminate trouble... hmm, using demons to rid the world, are becoming increasingly sophisticated."

Chen Yang smiled and said nothing more. Li Rou's presence and tacit understanding often saved him a lot of explaining.

"You've worked hard. You should continue to rest and recover."

Li Rou gave a soft "hmm," and her aura subsided once more, disappearing into the depths of the Sumeru space.

At this moment, Qiuniu and the others had reached the center of the valley and began to clear out a relatively clean area to rest.

Looking at the silent darkness around her, Su Meng still felt somewhat uneasy.

"Senior Brother Chen Yang, those demons... really won't find their way here? Their noses are so sensitive..."

Chen Yang walked to their side, looking calm.

"Don't worry, if I say they won't find it, they absolutely won't find it."

Seeing that everyone still looked worried, and Xing San muttered, "That's not necessarily true," Chen Yang knew that if he didn't show some of his skills, they probably wouldn't be able to rest easy.

He offered no further explanation. With a thought, he retrieved from his spatial storage the "Patrol Banner," a jet-black banner inherited from the Underworld Marshal, exuding a chilling aura. The banner moved without wind, and a faint, mournful wail emanated from it. (End of Chapter)