BTTH: Demon Emperor Xiao Yan

The towering energy pillar had lasted for several hours before finally dissipating. And the moment it faded, the crowd waiting anxiously at the shore surged into motion like a swarm of locusts, rushing toward the island at the center of the sea with wild fervor.

Zi Yan too looked eager to charge in, but before she could take off, Xiao Yan extended a hand and stopped her. He gently shook his head. 'This isn't the time to make the first move. Being the early bird in a place like this isn't always wise.'

After waiting for several minutes and confirming that the first wave of entrants hadn't triggered any traps or suffered casualties, Xiao Yan finally nodded. With Qing Lin and Zi Yan at his side, he joined the second wave and dove into the depths of the Fallen Grounds.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Xiao Yan's expression changed slightly. His body suddenly felt a heavy pressure. The gravitational pull inside this space was at least ten times that of the outside world. Several cultivators flying high in the sky lost control and plummeted like stones. Even with Dou Qi shielding their bodies, the fall was not something they could simply shrug off.

This wasn't just pressure on the physical body—it even affected Dou Qi flow within the body. The circulation of energy grew sluggish, and even their Dou Qi wings failed to condense. Zi Yan, who had never encountered such a phenomenon, was visibly shaken. Her expression showed unease as she hovered uncertainly in the air. This was clearly her first experience with such a domain.

But to Xiao Yan, this pressure felt oddly familiar. After all, he had trained with the Heavy Xuan Ruler before and had long since adapted to such burdens.

This level of gravitational suppression typically only occurred when someone with a high cultivation exerted their aura to suppress a weaker opponent. However, with his experience, Xiao Yan could tell that this pressure wasn't from a person—it originated from the land itself. There was something unusual about this island.

"Young Master, what should we do now?" Qing Lin asked, her voice filled with uncertainty. With Xiao Yan's support, she was barely able to stand under the pressure, but she was clearly struggling. Because they had entered after the initial wave, the distance between them and the first batch of explorers was considerable.

They had assumed they could catch up quickly by relying on their speed. But with the suppressive gravity, they were crawling like snails. Even with Xiao Yan's powerful body movement techniques like Flowing Flame Sky Ascension Steps, they wouldn't be able to gain an advantage here.

"Leave it to me." Xiao Yan smiled slightly. He knelt and hoisted Qing Lin onto his back before turning and scooping Zi Yan into a princess carry.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Zi Yan squawked in protest, but before she could wriggle free, a deafening sonic boom erupted beneath Xiao Yan's feet.

With explosive power, Xiao Yan's figure shot forward at high speed, bounding forward in tremendous leaps.

It was Burst Step, a battle technique he hadn't used in a long time.

Since advancing to the Dou Wang class and cultivating Flowing Flame Sky Ascension Steps, Xiao Yan had largely abandoned Burst Step. However, in this environment—where flight and acceleration were heavily suppressed—a technique that used explosive energy to propel movement was far more effective than speed-type footwork.

As a result, countless people in the valley watched in shock as a black shadow shot forward, accompanied by rhythmic, echoing explosions. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yan's silhouette vanished beyond the horizon, leaving a crowd of dumbfounded cultivators behind.

When he crossed into a certain boundary zone, the oppressive gravitational force suddenly vanished. Their Dou Qi circulation returned to normal, and Qing Lin and Zi Yan both exhaled in relief. Only now did they realize just how sluggish their Dou Qi had been under that pressure.

"What a pity..." Xiao Yan turned his head to glance back at the gravity zone with a trace of regret. 'This kind of place is perfect for refining one's Dou Qi and strengthening one's foundation. If the Fallen Grounds weren't going to vanish in a few days, I'd seriously consider using it as a closed-door training spot.'

"Let's go." He turned back, patting Zi Yan gently on the head. "Alright, little girl. It's your turn now."

"I know, I know!" Zi Yan closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment before waving her hand and pointing to the left. "This way—follow me!"

Under her guidance, the trio quickly made their way to a secluded valley nestled between rocky cliffs. The terrain reminded Xiao Yan of the place he had once lived with Xiao Yixian in the Magic Beast Mountain Range—but this area was far more expansive. And unlike the outside world, the entire valley was overgrown with rare medicinal herbs.

Xiao Yan didn't hesitate. With a wave of his hand, he swept up every herb in sight. He even dug up large chunks of soil from beneath the plants, sparing nothing. He completely embodied the phrase "pluck every feather from a passing goose." His behavior was so excessive that even Zi Yan, who was known for being a notorious looter herself, was left slightly ashamed. Qing Lin finally understood why Xiao Yan had asked Hai Bodong for several dozen storage rings before setting out.

"There's even denser energy up ahead," Zi Yan said after they finished pillaging the valley. She pointed to another passage on the far side. From within, they could all smell an intense medicinal fragrance drifting out.

The group advanced again, and before long, a clear lake came into view. It sparkled like a mirror beneath the sun. At the center of the lake was a small island, covered in medicinal plants. From the energy waves coming off them, it was easy to tell these herbs were of exceptionally high quality—far superior to anything one would find in the Black-Corner Region.

With just a glance, Xiao Yan spotted several rare herbs suitable for refining seventh-tier pills. In the Central Plains, such ingredients were incredibly costly and hard to obtain. In the Black-Corner Region, they were essentially priceless treasures with no market supply.

But what truly drew Xiao Yan's attention were a few golden spiritual grasses growing in the very center of the island. Their leaf tips were streaked with crimson flame-like markings, flickering as though they were really burning. And if one listened closely, faint dragon roars could be heard whispering through the air.

Seeing those golden herbs, Xiao Yan froze slightly. Information about them surfaced in his mind almost immediately.

'These are… Dragon Saliva Flamegrass?'

This mystical herb was said to be born when fire-attributed spiritual grass was nourished by the blood essence of ancient dragons. Due to its extremely strict growth requirements, even among the Ancient Void Dragon tribe, it was a rare sight. Yet here it was—in the Fallen Grounds, no less.

Zi Yan's face lit up in excitement. She tugged on Xiao Yan's sleeve and exclaimed, "I want that one!"

(End of Chapter)

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