Chapter 15 The Ruins

Xu Jingming had been gone from Cheng'an Prefecture for over a month, and his residence remained a ruin. No one dared to seize it, nor did anyone dare to rebuild it without permission.

Now, two figures stood atop the ruins: a burly man with a large beard and Liu Chang, the local Demon Vanquishing Division's chief.

"Sir," Liu Chang said, "Ever since Wu Ming's battle with the Dongming Mountain Lord, this residence has been a ruin. For over a month, it has remained unchanged."

The burly man carefully observed his surroundings and frowned. "The files state that before the Dongming Mountain Lord was killed, he repeatedly cried out for help?"

"Yes."

Liu Chang nodded. "The commotion was significant at the time. I used a secret method to remotely observe, clearly seeing the Dongming Mountain Lord repeatedly begging for help. Judging from his expression and tone, he wasn't faking it! He even begged for help right before his death."

"His master? Do you think it could be a Sky Demon?" the burly man asked.

"The Dongming Mountain Lord was at the limit of the Earth Demon level. He wouldn't willingly acknowledge an Earth Demon as his master," Liu Chang said. "Moreover, if there was an Earth Demon hiding in the shadows, it shouldn't have escaped Wu Ming's notice. Therefore... considering all the available intelligence, there's a greater than 50% chance that a Sky Demon was hidden in the shadows at the time."

The burly man nodded. "But I've examined the ruins and surveyed the surrounding ten li. I haven't found a trace of Sky Demon aura."

Liu Chang hesitated before saying, "We are, after all, only speculating. Perhaps we're mistaken?"

"Two possibilities."

The burly man pondered, "One, we're mistaken, and no Sky Demon was hiding there at the time. Two, a Sky Demon did come, but his strength is greater than mine! I can't find any trace of him."

"Greater than your strength, sir?" Liu Chang asked, surprised.

"I'm only a seventh-realm Demon Vanquisher after all. There are Sky Demons stronger than me," the burly man said. After a moment of silent thought, he continued, "Do you know where Wu Ming is?"

"He didn't even meet with us at the time. He only chatted with the Qi family for a few words before leaving the prefecture city with his old servant," Liu Chang said. "He hasn't returned in over a month."

"Alright, you can go back," the burly man instructed.

Liu Chang bowed slightly and left immediately.

The burly man stood alone in the ruins.

"Based on the speculation, there's a high probability that a Sky Demon is lurking nearby. He hasn't made a move, probably seeing Demon Vanquisher Wu Ming as prey," the burly man thought with a sneer. "He probably judged from Demon Vanquisher Wu Ming's growth trajectory that Wu Ming wouldn't take too long to become a high-realm Demon Vanquisher! When he reaches the seventh realm, that will be when he makes his move?"

"How laughable!"

"This Wu Ming, after descending into the Demon Vanquishing world, initially needed a long time to kill a patrolling envoy of the Dongming Mountain's thirty-six envoys. Later, he also struggled to kill the Green Lake Demon God, but several months later, he was able to kill the Dongming Mountain Lord," the burly man thought. "Clearly, this Wu Ming should also be an eighth-order limit in reality. After descending, he gradually familiarized himself with the Demon Vanquishing secret methods, so his strength improved so quickly."

"If I'm not mistaken, he'll soon have the level of the sixth realm or seventh realm," the burly man thought.

Eighth-order limits only had bodies that had reached their limits.

Their minds were still far from 'Source Life,' so after coming to the Demon Vanquishing world, most were only sixth-realm or seventh-realm Demon Vanquishers. After cultivating for a period of time and improving, most could become high-realm Demon Vanquishers.

"That Sky Demon doesn't know that we Demon Vanquishers, descending from the outside world, already have extremely strong minds. He could have hunted him earlier."

"But he doesn't understand, so he patiently waits in the shadows."

"A Sky Demon with suspected eighth-realm strength is beyond me. I'll have to summon my companions," the burly man thought. "As long as Wu Ming's whereabouts are discovered and tracked nearby, we can hope to find this Sky Demon."

In the universe's human race, eighth-order limits who entered could mostly cultivate to become high-realm Demon Vanquishers.

They were like hunters, searching for Sky Demons.

For them, the obsessions of Human Demons and Earth Demons were of little help! Sky Demon obsessions... that was entirely different! But Sky Demons were too few, and each one concealed their aura and hid.

"The Sky Demons are too cunning, hiding one by one and disguising themselves as humans. It's too difficult to find a Sky Demon," the burly man said with a slight shake of his head, then silently disappeared.

...

Time passed, and half a year had gone by in a blink of an eye.

Chiyun Prefecture, Lanping Prefecture, within the prefecture city.

A youth and a hunchbacked old servant checked into an inn.

"Prepare a few of your best dishes and bring over two pots of good wine," Xu Jingming said as he and Wu Qi put down their luggage. The inn's waiter immediately replied, "Please wait a moment, esteemed guests. I'll arrange it right away."

This was a residence with its own courtyard, belonging to the inn's highest-grade courtyard.

Xu Jingming looked outside and smiled. "We have a distinguished guest." Wu Qi's expression immediately changed as he nervously looked outside.

A figure emerged from the void and appeared in the courtyard—a middle-aged woman.

"Uncle Qi, go inside and rest. This person is also a Demon Vanquisher; I'll chat with her," Xu Jingming said.

"Yes, Young Master." Wu Qi glanced at the middle-aged woman before silently returning to the room.

The middle-aged woman smiled at Xu Jingming. "Mr. Wu Ming, you should have guessed my purpose."

An invisible wave enveloped the two of them, isolating their conversation from all prying eyes.

"In the past half-year, two high-realm Demon Vanquishers have already sought me out," Xu Jingming said. "They all want to track down Sky Demon traces. I can assure you, I've never seen a Sky Demon, nor do I know where they are."

"You've never seen one?" The middle-aged woman frowned slightly. "Could it be that the Dongming Mountain Lord from your Cheng'an Prefecture was deliberately lying before his death?"

"I don't know." Xu Jingming shook his head. "Perhaps he was lying, or perhaps the Sky Demon is too skilled at hiding."

"After learning that you and your servant had arrived in the prefecture city, I had already taken the first step to investigate everyone suspicious around you," the middle-aged woman said, shaking her head. "I didn't find a Sky Demon."

The middle-aged woman then smiled. "I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Liu Yinshu, an eighth-realm Demon Vanquisher. I've established an organization to help high-realm Demon Vanquishers called 'Listening to Stories Pavilion.' High-realm Demon Vanquishers can join. After joining, whether it's magical artifacts, materials, Sky Demon trace information, or some commercial transactions in reality, everyone can help each other."

"The high-realm Demon Vanquishers of Listening to Stories Pavilion mainly operate in the Chiyun Prefecture area," the middle-aged woman said. "I've reviewed your file, Mr. Wu Ming. You should be an eighth-order limit in reality, right? After entering the Demon Vanquishing world, you familiarized yourself with the Demon Vanquishing secret methods and quickly improved to the sixth realm."

Xu Jingming smiled slightly.

"Countless civilizations in the universe's human race—many eighth-order limits will come to the Demon Vanquishing world to give it a try," the middle-aged woman said. "Not only the Demon Vanquishing world, but all sorts of possibilities are tried."

Xu Jingming nodded. "It's all for that glimmer of hope—breaking through to become a Source Life."

"Many people try for decades and then leave," the middle-aged woman said. "But the Demon Vanquishing world has one good thing: the distance to Source Life can be judged from a Demon Vanquisher's realm."

Xu Jingming was taken aback.

That's true!

The Primordial Research Institute could accurately measure his mind power index.

But ordinary eighth-order cosmic lifeforms didn't have this opportunity. However, they could use the Demon Vanquishing world to judge their approximate mind power level.

"The seventh realm can be considered average mind power among the eighth-order limits. Eighth-realm Demon Vanquishers represent very high mind power. The ninth realm... is even not far from Source Life," the middle-aged woman said.

Xu Jingming was very clear on this.

According to the data compiled by the Primordial Research Institute's outer members, a mind power index of 6,000 could roughly become a seventh realm. A mind power index of 9,000 could roughly become an eighth realm. A mind power index of 9,500 could roughly become a ninth realm.

With the help of Icy Flower Spirit Liquid, the threshold could be slightly lowered.

"Mr. Wu Ming, if you reach the seventh realm, you're also welcome to join Listening to Stories Pavilion," the middle-aged woman said with a smile. "It's not that I dislike your weakness, but only those with high-realm Demon Vanquisher strength can deal with Sky Demons."

"I understand," Xu Jingming said. "It's because my strength isn't enough."

"I believe that Mr. Wu Ming will soon be able to reach the seventh realm. At that time, any Listening to Stories Pavilion in any prefecture city in Chiyun Prefecture can contact me," the middle-aged woman said.

Xu Jingming nodded. "I'll consider it."

"Then I won't disturb you any longer," the middle-aged woman said with a smile, and her figure gradually faded away, disappearing.

Xu Jingming frowned slightly.

The Demon Vanquishing world, as the Demon Vanquishing world with the greatest help to mind power, did indeed gather a large number of eighth-order cosmic lifeforms. And those who could become high-realm Demon Vanquishers were even more so eighth-order limits.

Every eighth-order limit generally had a very strong influence in reality.

"Eighth-order limits forming forces—can they also trade in reality?" Xu Jingming thought to himself. "There are very many eighth-orders in the Demon Vanquishing world; it's entirely possible to form a very large group in reality."

Of course, Xu Jingming's ambition wasn't here! His goal was Source Life.

"I had never seen a single high-realm Demon Vanquisher in Cheng'an Prefecture before! But in the past half-year, counting this one today... three high-realm Demon Vanquishers have come to me, all to track down Sky Demons."

"From this, it can be seen how difficult Sky Demons are to find," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "Fortunately, I'm only in my thirties and have limited experience. Earth Demon obsessions... are still quite helpful to me."

"If I want to find Sky Demons in the future, I'm afraid it won't be easy either."

Xu Jingming also understood this from the information.

Ordinary Human Demons were constantly being bred and formed in any prefecture city, and the members of the Demon Vanquishing Division often went to kill them.

Earth Demons, many of whom sat in a place, reigned supreme, doing whatever they wanted, were also easy to find.

Only Sky Demons!

"Sky Demons—hidden among countless humans," Xu Jingming thought. "And the very few Sky Demons who dare to openly reveal their identities and occupy a region are all at an unfathomable level."

Ninth-realm Demon Vanquishers were close to Source Life and still couldn't say that they could deal with all Sky Demons.

Someone like Chi Tong, a ninth-realm Demon Vanquisher, had taken a tumble.

"Young Master." Wu Qi walked out of the house. "Has the person left?"

"They came to track down Sky Demons again," Xu Jingming said. "They couldn't track them down, so they came to ask me."

"There are so many Earth Demons wreaking havoc everywhere in the world, but they don't go to solve them. Instead, they are so desperately tracking down a Sky Demon?" Wu Qi shook his head and sighed.

Just then, the inn's waiter came to deliver the wine and dishes.

"Young Master, let's have dinner first," Wu Qi said.

Xu Jingming sat down, also pondering, "I wonder if there's really a Sky Demon staring at me in the shadows."

"Never mind, I'll still focus on researching 'Light Ray Chapter' and perfecting my divine power. The stronger I am, the more confident I'll be in dealing with Sky Demons." Xu Jingming stopped thinking about it. In the past half-year, he had made very rapid progress.

Every eighth-order cosmic lifeform improved very quickly at the beginning, and the slower it became, until it stagnated.

Like Xu Jingming's 'Senior Brother Gu Shan,' his mind power index was 9,123 at 500 years old, but after the next 500 years, he was still some distance away from 10,000.

Like Senior Sister Kabuya, ranked seventh, her mind power index exceeded 5,000 points not long after joining the Primordial Research Institute at 155 years old.

"In the past half-year, my mind power has improved quite quickly. With the help of the Icy Flower Spirit Liquid, I've already broken through to the sixth realm," Xu Jingming thought. "But my divine power isn't perfect enough."

Learning divine powers was fast.

But creating one yourself was too difficult.

...

The next morning.

Xu Jingming went out for a walk, and Wu Qi also went out to inquire about the local Earth Demon news.

"How lively."

Xu Jingming came to a market. In the market, many vendors were selling goods. Xu Jingming watched many people bargain, and some vendors even brought their children. In the past half-year, he had refined many Earth Demon obsessions.

The experiences of each Earth Demon were integrated into Xu Jingming's consciousness, and the intense obsessions impacted Xu Jingming's mind.

Xu Jingming resonated more with these ordinary people's lives.

"It's like reincarnation in Blue Star mythology," Xu Jingming thought. "The ordinary people in this world live here for decades, struggling, getting married and having children... isn't that reincarnation experiencing a lifetime?"

"What is virtual?"

"Decades of emotional investment—that's reality."

In the past half-year, Xu Jingming had traveled to various places and watched the lives of all living beings. Refining the obsessions of demons, he experienced their encounters.

He knew that these demons were too stubborn and had all gone down the wrong path. But Xu Jingming could understand them.

"The humanity I've seen in reality isn't as complex as the humanity I've seen in the Demon Vanquishing world." Xu Jingming was also growing. He felt that the benefits of the Demon Vanquishing world were not just the refining of the mind against demons.

Seeing all living beings, experiencing all living beings while refining demons—this was another aspect of the harvest.

For the young Xu Jingming, this aspect of growth was very obvious.