Not long after Yang Zhi and the others charged into the Skeleton Sea, they fled in a sorry state, chased by four or five shadowy figures swirling with dark energy, with one figure repeatedly firing black energy arrows at Yang Zhi, forcing him to turn back and counter with Sword Qi.
He was quite frustrated at the moment; attempting to breach the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area wasn’t new to him. But encountering five Skeleton Generals at once was unprecedented, not to mention all five targeting him specifically.
If it weren’t for the protective artifact he had, he would’ve perished in the Skeleton Sea. Now, as he fled, the bow-wielding Skeleton General kept aiming solely at him, adding to his frustration.
However, seeing the Skeleton army being drawn out by the five Skeleton Generals provided Yang Zhi with some comfort; the more Skeletons leaving, the more time Yang Xiu and the others had, and thus greater gains.
Still, the loss of his protective artifact left Yang Zhi feeling somewhat morose.
Thinking about his younger brother, Yang Xiu, also losing his protective artifact gave him some solace as an elder brother, knowing he wasn’t the only one with bad luck.
Observing a large number of Skeletons leaving the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area, Yang Xiu led the others toward the now sparse Skeleton Sea, each carrying three or four enchantment talismans with several spares in their storage bags.
As long as they retrieved a treasure from the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area, all expenses for this operation would be worthwhile.
Once the Skeleton Sea thinned, the group met almost no resistance and broke through into the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area.
Upon entering, the talismans burned at an accelerated rate, as the demonic aura within was far denser and more sinister, causing illusions in momentary spells of distraction.
Focused, their task was to find useful items in the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area and leave before the talismans burned out.
Lu Yu felt uneasy in the empty surroundings; earlier in the Skeleton Sea, bones were everywhere, and now there wasn’t a single Skeleton present, causing him slight disorientation.
Suddenly, he spotted his lost Overlord Saber stuck ahead. Lu Yu instinctively moved to retrieve it when a wave of clarity washed over his mind, dispelling the illusion in his eyes.
Shaking his head to clear his vision, Lu Yu saw that what was there was no Overlord Saber but simply a broken, ordinary sword.
Realizing this place could affect one’s mind, causing illusions, he resolved to maintain his focus, not daring to relax.
Unaware when Yu Xiaoman had gripped a small arrow, clarity gleamed in her eyes, unmarred by illusion.
She didn’t know why she was holding the arrow, but it gave her an increased sense of security.
"What is this place?" Lu Yu wondered, curious about this empty space at the center of the Skeleton Ocean and why it induced illusions.
Upon closely examining the surroundings, Lu Yu discovered the equipment here was of superior quality compared to those outside, with most not broken by combat but eroded by time.
Yu Xiaoman headed in a particular direction, with Lu Yu following, asking, "What’s up?"
She uncertainly replied, "I feel there might be something over there."
"Something?" Lu Yu perked up excitedly; luck was on its way!
Quickening their pace, Lu Yu felt unusual force from many items along the way but hadn’t picked any up, as Yu Xiaoman hadn’t stopped, implying a greater fortune awaited.
Soon, a low stone platform emerged before Lu Yu, with a knife wedged in it.
Lu Yu halted, cautiously observing the stone platform, sensing a dangerous presence from beneath, stopping him in his tracks out of vigilance.
Carefully scrutinizing the platform, Lu Yu found that it was likely fashioned by a powerful Martial Cultivator, forcibly shaped from the soil, given that parts of skeletons remained exposed.
Definitely not a natural rock formation, Lu Yu surmised it was crafted by a strong individual.
Lu Yu stabbed the platform with a spear, leaving no mark. Fully exerting his strength, still, no trace remained; the stone platform was impressively solid, beyond Lu Yu’s capacity to break.
Reflecting on this, he pulled back, scanning his surroundings, "Where’s Yu Xiaoman?"
Behind the stone platform, he found Yu Xiaoman digging with a broken sword. Curiosity piqued, Lu Yu asked, "What are you digging for?"
"I heard someone ask me to save her."
"What?" Lu Yu was stunned, "I didn’t hear anything. Could it be a demon suppressed under the platform?"
"It was a girl’s voice, should not be a demon."
"Alright! Step aside, let me help you dig."
Yu Xiaoman backed away as Lu Yu thrust his spear into the ground, lifting soil and equipment shards. In two or three moves, he dug almost half a meter deep, when the spear tip hit something hard.
Feeling the sensation through his spear, Lu Yu twisted slightly, pulling the hard object from the soil.
It was a necklace; astonishingly, despite being buried, it emerged spotless and pristine, clearly not ordinary.
Seeing it was a women’s necklace, Lu Yu instantly lost interest, knowing he couldn’t claim this fortune.
Yu Xiaoman grabbed the necklace from Lu Yu’s spear, listened closely for a moment, and smiled brightly, "It’s her! She says her name is Fei Feng and thanks me for saving her."
Lu Yu wore a strange look, wondering if this was an "old grandpa" situation.
Shaking off irrelevant thoughts, he said, "Ask her about this place. What monster is under the platform?"
Lu Yu realized only Yu Xiaoman could communicate with the "old grandpa" in the necklace, as he heard nothing.
"She says this is the battleground between Tianfeng Province and demons, and perhaps a Demon General is suppressed under the platform, and she was one of the commanders against the demons."
"She mentioned feeling tired and going to sleep."
Yu Xiaoman looked up at Lu Yu.
Exchanging a look with her, Lu Yu said, "Quick, put the necklace away, I sense someone coming."
"Okay." Yu Xiaoman initially intended to wear the necklace, but considering where it was found, even though it appeared clean, she felt a bit uneasy, deciding to stash it in her backpack.
Feeling her soul almost dissipating, Fei Feng, as Yu Xiaoman placed the necklace in the backpack, suddenly sensed her soul stabilizing, falling into a restful sleep and gradually restoring Soul Power.
"Arrived." Yang Xiu spotted the stone platform, excitement lighting his face, believing the platform’s knife was the most valuable object in the Sealed Demon Forbidden Area.
At least on the surface, it seemed so.
Suddenly, across the platform, he saw Lu Yu, his face darkened, "You somehow survived; how lucky you are!"
Seeing Yang Xiu alone, Lu Yu grinned, "You must be the lucky one, surviving a hit from the demon bear!"
Yang Xiu’s eyes narrowed with fury, "Was that your doing?"
Recalling the stone that nearly killed him at the paws of the demon bear, he couldn’t help but seethe with immense anger.