In the world of demons and warriors, I slay demons through wordplay.

The wind in the Cold Abyss Prison is cold.

It wasn't the coolness of the sea breeze, nor the chill of the night, but a kind of icy cold that seeped into your bones.

The overwhelming malevolent aura receded like a tide, and the fragments of light from the ancient prison-suppressing runes gradually faded away.

Deep claw marks and fist imprints on the rock face, revealing bone, are still shedding loose stones.

The terrifying and violent tug-of-war that had just taken place felt like a catastrophe that had just ended.

The lingering heat pressed down, creating a suffocating silence over the entire back mountain.

Ye Tingyu leaned against the cold rock wall, her back pressed against the rough, hard stone surface, barely managing to support her swaying body.

He was now drenched in sweat, and although most of the blood-red markings on his body had faded, there were still faint black and red lights lurking beneath his skin, like two restless beasts, lurking and growling deep within his meridians, waiting for their chance to strike again.

The crimson in his eyes completely faded, returning to his dark, indifferent eyes that revealed little emotion.

But deep in his eyes lay a weariness that others couldn't understand.

There is also a coldness and wariness forged through ten years of hell.

He never trusts people.

In this life, he only trusts himself.

Green Ivy stood a few steps in front of him, neither too close nor too far, striking the perfect balance.

She did not take advantage of his weakness to approach him, nor did she lower her guard in the slightest.

She was waiting for an answer.

And we can't rush it; it must be told by Ye Tingyu willingly and personally.

Green Ivy's cool gaze fell directly on Ye Tingyu's face, like a knife washed in warm water, looking gentle but actually sharp, specializing in dissecting the deepest secrets in people's hearts.

Gongsun Chang stood within the high-altitude barrier, his spiritual power concealed, isolating the entire Cold Abyss Prison from the world, sealing off all sound and preventing any prying eyes.

Some things can only be said here.

Some deals can only be made at this moment.

Green Ivy's question just now floated lightly in the air, yet it weighed heavily on people's hearts.

"Back then, what exactly did you see through the Gates of Hell? Did you see the Sect Master of the Reverse Sea?"

The Xuanwu Gate has asked this question for many years.

Countless people want to ask, and countless people dare not ask.

Now she finally asked the question herself, hitting the nail on the head and leaving no room for negotiation.

Ye Tingyu remained silent for a long time.

It wasn't that he didn't want to answer; he was considering his answer.

Carefully consider every word, every sentence, and every step you take next.

He knew all too well that Green Ivy and Gongsun Chang's rescue of him was never out of any sudden act of kindness.

Everyone here is a sensible person; you must demonstrate your usefulness to gain leverage in negotiations.

in other words.

They were not saving Ye Tingyu as a person, but rather the secret of the Reverse Sea Sect Master that he possessed.

It was the secret about the gates of hell that was in his mind.

It was the triple power within him that was capable of overturning the status quo and destroying everything.

In the eyes of the Beast Taming world, he was a pawn, but also a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

Since it is a pawn, it has the right to negotiate terms.

If you're going to get him to risk his life, then you have to give him what he wants most in return.

Ye Tingyu slowly raised her eyelids, her hoarse voice softly echoing in the prison cell, devoid of any ups and downs or emotions, as if she were recounting an old story unrelated to herself.

"Sect Master of the Reverse Sea, I have met you before."

These five short words caused Gongsun Chang, who was standing to the side with a tense expression, to catch his breath. A strong light suddenly flashed in his eyes, and his clenched fists quietly relaxed.

For so many years, the entire Xuanwu Gate has searched desperately, but to no avail.

Everyone thought that the powerful and influential leader of the Reverse Sea Sect had long since vanished into the annals of time and the depths of hell.

Unexpectedly, Ye Tingyu had actually seen it.

And it's at the gates of hell!

Green Ivy remained calm, as if she had expected this, but the trembling of her fingers betrayed her excitement.

Green Ivy nodded slightly and asked softly, "Is the Sect Master still alive? Did he pass on his legacy to you? Did he say anything to you? Why did he suddenly disappear back then, and why hasn't he returned to the Xuanwu Sect for decades?"

A series of questions, each hitting the nail on the head.

Ye Tingyu shook her head, a deep darkness flashing in her eyes, her tone flat yet carrying a chilling coldness: "He's gone."

"The Sect Master of the Reverse Sea Sect has long since perished deep within the Gates of Hell."

As soon as those words were spoken, the Cold Abyss Prison seemed to grow even colder.

Gongsun Chang's expression changed drastically, his body swayed, and his eyes were filled with disbelief, grief, and desolation.

Even though I was mentally prepared, hearing the answer with my own ears still made me feel a pang of sadness.

That was the backbone of Xuanwu Gate, the faith of a generation, and it was buried forever in the underworld, never to return.

Green Ivy frowned almost imperceptibly, her gaze darkening: "Fallen? How could he have fallen? With his extraordinary cultivation back then, even though the Gates of Hell were dangerous, he shouldn't have died so quickly."

"Unless... he doesn't want to live anymore."

Ye Tingyu took a slow breath, his chest meridians twitching slightly, sending waves of dull pain through him, but he paid no heed and slowly recounted what he had seen and heard deep within the Gates of Hell.

He had kept those images to himself for many years, never telling anyone, but now, for the sake of leverage, he had to tell the truth.

"As everyone knows, the Gates of Hell are not a secret realm, nor a dangerous place, but an ancient burial pit for souls."

"There is no sun or moon there, no day or night, only endless karmic fire, undying souls, and ancient, malevolent spirits. Ordinary people cannot even last a moment inside."

Night Rain spoke softly, slowly revealing the secrets of the past.

…………

Decades ago, the Sect Master of the Reverse Sea Sect was stationed at the Xuanwu Gate, suppressing evil spirits across the four seas and dominating all cultivation realms. His cultivation had already reached the pinnacle of the human world, half a step beyond transcendence, just one step away from breaking through the shackles of the mortal world and ascending to a higher realm.

However, at that time, the cultivation world was in turmoil, with external forces eyeing it covetously, the righteous path of Buddhism pressing forward step by step, and enemies secretly joining forces to plot against it.

Furthermore, with the seal on the Gates of Hell gradually loosening and the ancient monsters from the earth about to break free, internal and external troubles are on the horizon.

The Sect Master of the Reverse Sea knew that if the Gates of Hell were to collapse completely and the Netherworld army were to flood into the mortal realm, all living beings would suffer, the Xuanwu Sect would be the first to be destroyed, and the entire cultivation world would face annihilation.

In desperation, he made a resolute decision—to sacrifice himself to guard the prison!

Using his own cultivation and spiritual power, he forcibly reinforced the seal of the Gates of Hell!

He was not fleeing, nor was he avoiding the world; he was facing death.

"With his cultivation as a sect leader, he forcefully suppressed the century-long turmoil at the Gates of Hell."

Ye Tingyu continued, her voice calm yet tinged with emotion.

"But the hellish energy corrodes the bones and destroys the soul. Over time, the physical body collapses first, then the Dao heart is shattered, and finally the soul is burned and worn away little by little by the karmic fire of the underworld."

"No matter how strong the Reverse Sea Sect Master's cultivation is, he is still a mortal cultivator, and what he is fighting against are those ancient ferocious beasts. Over time, his physical body will inevitably decay, his Dao heart will shatter, and his cultivation will be exhausted."

"In the end, even a complete soul cannot be maintained."

"He died in the deepest part of the gates of hell, in the heart of the flames of karma."

"Afterwards, he will also become one of the ferocious beasts guarding the gates of hell!"

As Ye Tingyu finished speaking, a barely perceptible sigh flashed in her eyes.

Years ago, he fell alone into the gates of hell, struggling to survive amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood. He accidentally stumbled into the heart of hell and witnessed the final appearance of that former overlord.

Gone is the domineering aura that once shook the world; all that remains is a broken skeleton and a wisp of a soul on the verge of annihilation, struggling to survive in the endless darkness.

In the end, this pinnacle of the human beast-taming world transformed into a gigantic, ferocious, stitched-together monster.

Driven by their unwavering resolve to guard the gates of hell, they indiscriminately attack any living being that attempts to enter or leave.

Green Ivy was startled: "What did you say?!"

"The ferocious beasts at the gates of hell are all transformed humans?!"

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."

"Before his death, the Sect Master of the Reverse Sea knew that his power was gone, that his physical body and soul would be destroyed, that the Xuanwu Sect would have no successor, and that its lineage would soon be cut off."

"Out of desperation, he handed over the beast-taming essence he had refined to me."

"Furthermore, he was unwilling to let his life's work be destroyed in an instant, nor was he willing to see the Reverse Sea lineage fall apart. So he used the last bit of his divine soul essence to forcibly tear apart the barrier between the gates of hell and the human world, and forcibly separated his only remaining core soul from the gates of hell."

Green Ivy's eyes narrowed, instantly grasping the key point: "Where did the sect leader's remnant soul go?"

Night Listening to the Rain, I looked up and gazed at the distant horizon beyond the prison.

As dusk fell, sandstorms raged, the landscape stretched endlessly, a scene of desolation and bleakness.

Night Listening to Rain said, "The Great Wilderness."

The three words fell, crystal clear.

"The last remnant soul of the Reverse Sea Sect Master is not in Hell, not in the Four Seas, not in the Secret Realm, but deep in the Great Wilderness."

Gongsun Chang, who was listening nearby, was greatly shocked upon hearing this, and then suddenly realized what was happening.

The ruins of an ancient battlefield in the Great Wilderness are filled with disordered laws and mixed evil energy. Human forces rarely venture there, the Buddhist righteous path is unwilling to approach, and extraterrestrial forces disdain to occupy it. It is the perfect place to hide remnant souls, avoid pursuit, and be spied on by the Heavenly Dao.

The fact that the Sect Master of the Reverse Sea Sect chose this place to store his remnant soul must mean that he had already planned everything.

A glint of light flashed in Green Ivy's eyes; in an instant, all the threads of the situation became clear, and all her plans finally found their footing. This was the answer she had been waiting for; this was the hope that Xuanwu Gate had been betting on.

"With the remnant soul still intact, and with you by my side, the legacy has not been broken."

Green Ivy spoke firmly, her gaze fixed on Ye Tingyu, "As long as you find that wisp of remnant soul, you can inherit the complete Reverse Sea legacy, reshape your Dao heart, balance the three powers within your body, and completely eradicate the death calamity caused by the rampaging of malevolent energy. The Xuanwu Sect can also use the foundation left by the sect leader's remnant soul to rebuild its foundation and regain its prestige."

"However, the ends of the earth and the corners of the sea are currently at war, so it is inconvenient for me to leave."

"You are the only one who can perfectly accept the remnant soul," Green Ivy said.

Having said that, the intention is quite clear.

She wanted to listen to the rain at night in the vast wilderness.

She wanted to listen to the rain at night to find that wisp of remnant soul.

Of course, Ye Tingyu can understand it.

A faint, cold smile curved his lips.

It carried a hint of mockery, a touch of clarity, and a detached indifference.

"What if I refuse?"

Straightforward, harsh, and merciless.

Gongsun Chang's face stiffened slightly, and he was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond.

Green Ivy said, "Saving you is driven by sect selfishness and scheming. You bear the inheritance and know the secrets, making you the only one capable of finding the remnant soul. Anyone else, even if they entered the Great Wilderness, would not be able to sense the sect master's remnant soul, let alone inherit the Reverse Sea lineage."

"But let me tell you the truth: by helping Xuanwu Gate in this matter, you are also helping yourself."

Green Ivy is always honest and straightforward, laying out the pros and cons clearly, without making empty promises or deceiving people.

"The Concentrated Yin Ointment can only suppress your resentment for half a year. After half a year, the three powers will become unbalanced again, the Crimson Qi will rebound, and the Hellish Qi will devour your heart. No one can save you then. If you do not seek out the remnant soul and accept the complete inheritance, you will surely die, your soul and spirit will be destroyed, and you will be condemned to eternal damnation."

"Go to the Great Wilderness, find the remnant soul, and you will live."

There was no coercion or intimidation, only the truth.

Ye Tingyu listened quietly, her face expressionless, but her mind was racing with calculations.

He is not afraid of death.

Having spent ten years in hell, he had died countless times and had long since become indifferent to life and death.

But he can't die.

He lived not for the Xuanwu Sect, not for the inheritance of the Reverse Sea, not for the peace of the world, and not for the rise and fall of sects.

He lived for only one thing.

Looking for my older sister.

This was his only obsession, his only weakness, and the only thought that sustained him through ten years of hellish carnage and prevented him from completely succumbing to despair.

His sister's whereabouts were unknown, her fate uncertain. He had been in hell for ten years, fighting day and night, enduring torment. What kept him from being consumed by his bestial nature and from bowing to the darkness was never any grand righteousness or legacy, but simply the thought in his heart—to find his sister and protect her.

Apart from that, nothing in the world matters to him.

Ye Tingyu looked up and stared directly at the green ivy, her eyes cold and her tone firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

"I can go to the Great Wilderness."

One sentence made Gongsun Chang breathe a huge sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart.

But in the next sentence, Ye Tingyu changed the subject, making her conditions firm and unyielding.

"But I have one condition."

Green Ivy's eyes flickered slightly; she had anticipated that he would have a request. She calmly replied, "Speak. As long as Xuanwu Gate can do it, as long as Hai Zhi Jiao can accomplish it, I will agree."

Ye Tingyu spoke clearly, each word carrying immense weight, concealing his lifelong obsession: "I will help you go to the Great Wilderness to find the remnant soul of the Reverse Sea Sect Master, to receive the complete inheritance, to ensure the safety of the Xuanwu Gate, and to bring peace to the Cape of Dinghai."

"In return, Hai Zhijiao, Luluo, and Gongsun Chang, you need to help me find someone."

Green Ivy frowned slightly and asked, "Who is it?"

A rare flicker of pain and tenderness flashed across Ye Tingyu's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by her usual cold indifference, yet her tone remained resolute: "My sister."

These three simple words represent his lifelong obsession and his lifelong expectation.

The cell fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Gongsun Chang was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized. He had long known that Ye Tingyu had a tragic past, was burdened with a blood feud, and was all alone and helpless, but he did not know that Ye Tingyu had such a deep-seated obsession and a long-lost sister.

Green Ivy remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on Ye Tingyu. She neither immediately agreed nor refused, but cautiously asked, "When did your sister go missing? What is her name? Where did she go missing? Does she have any trace of cultivation, bloodline characteristics, or physical features? Hand over all the clues. The Cape of the Sea has a deep foundation, connections all over the world, and an intelligence network covering all aspects of cultivation. As long as she is still alive, we have ways to investigate and the ability to find her."

Ye Tingyu took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, and slowly recounted the long-buried past.

"Back then, my family was destroyed and my sect was in chaos. I was too young to protect anyone. In the midst of the turmoil, my sister and I were separated by the rebel soldiers and never saw each other again."

"I fell into hell and lost contact with her for ten years. I didn't know if she was alive or dead, where she was, where she was, whether she was harmed, whether she was still alive, or whether she was suffering.

His voice tightened slightly; even though his temperament had long been tempered into a cold and ruthless one, he still couldn't hide his emotional turmoil when he mentioned his sister.

"The only thing I know is that she's still alive. I can sense it in my heart; she must still be alive."

This wasn't a cultivation level intuition, nor a magical calculation; it was the intuition of blood ties, the unwavering bond between siblings. Ten years in hell, countless brushes with death, countless moments of despair—it was this intuition that kept him alive.

Ye Tingyu raised her eyes, staring at Green Ivy with sharp eyes and a firm attitude, showing no sign of backing down: "I don't care how many connections you use, how many resources you expend, how many spies you send out, or how much intelligence you draw upon. The Cape of the Sea possesses an intelligence base spanning the four seas, guards the key passages of the Cape, and has countless cultivators coming and going. It is well-informed and will definitely find a way to locate you."

"I will go to the Great Wilderness, risk my life for you, brave perilous situations for you, and shoulder the future of the sect for you."

"You people from the corner of the sea, you must help me find my sister."

"If we can't find him in a day, we'll search for him for a day; if we can't find him in a year, we'll search for him for a year; if we can't find him in ten years, we'll search for him for ten years. As long as I'm working for you, you must search for him for me every single day."

"Promise me, and I will immediately agree to go to the Great Wilderness. If you don't agree, even if I die six months later from the backlash of my malevolent energy, I will never step out of the Great Wilderness, and you can forget about me finding even a trace of your remnant soul."

Trading life for life, exchanging transactions for obsession.

Fairness, equality, and no room for leniency.

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Chang looked troubled and hesitated before speaking, "Ye Tingyu, the search for this person has taken a long time. With the vast sea of ​​people and the passage of time, it's difficult to find any trace of them... This matter..."

Before he could finish speaking, Green Ivy raised her hand to interrupt him.

Looking into Ye Tingyu's determined eyes, and seeing the only obsession in them, Luoluo had already weighed the options in her heart.

The remnant soul is crucial to the sect's survival, and the inheritance is crucial to its future rise and fall. Compared to this, finding the person, though difficult, is not impossible. The Cape of the Sea possesses intelligence from all corners of the world, has extensive connections, and its influence extends to all directions. As long as one searches diligently, there will always be traces to be found.

Compared to making Ye Tingyu willingly risk her life to venture into the wilderness, this price is insignificant.

Without the slightest hesitation, Green Ivy nodded immediately, her tone solemn, as if keeping her word: "I promise you."

In short, all deals were finalized.

"I, Green Ivy, in the name of the Guardian of the Cape of the Sea, hereby swear an oath."

She raised her hand and formed a hand seal, a wisp of pure light rising from her fingertips, transforming into a vow mark that floated in mid-air, its light and shadow swirling, witnessing the promise.

"From this day forward, the entire crew of Haijiao will be mobilized, intelligence will be disseminated across the entire network, and we will search far and wide for your sister's whereabouts. Any clue, however small, must be reported immediately; any trace, however faint, will not be overlooked. We will search through the sea of ​​people, trace back through the ages, and find her alive or dead."

"As long as you search for the remnant soul in the wilderness, I will search for you; as long as you do not return, I will never cease my search. I will never go back on my word, never be perfunctory, and never lie. If I break this oath, my cultivation will be completely destroyed, my Dao heart will be shattered, and I will be eternally imprisoned in the Cold Abyss, never to be released."

The oath was made, and the spiritual imprint flashed and disappeared into the void, with the Heavenly Dao as witness and the laws as proof.

Seeing this, Gongsun Chang immediately echoed solemnly, "I, Gongsun Chang, in the name of an elder of the Xuanwu Gate, swear an oath. We will spare no effort to search for this person at the corner of the sea, without any delay or perfunctory attitude. We will keep our promise until death."

Two powerful figures from the two corners of the ocean jointly made an oath, witnessed by Heaven.

This is not just a promise, but a contract, which cannot be falsified, cannot be reneged on, and must take root.

Otherwise, they will be subject to contractual penalties.

Ye Tingyu looked at the two of them, and the last trace of wariness in her eyes slowly faded away.

After a long while, Ye Tingyu slowly straightened up, enduring the excruciating pain in her meridians, suppressing all her emotions, and spoke in a calm yet firm voice, word by word.

"it is good."

"I promise you, I will go to the Great Wilderness after I recover from my injuries."