Several days later, Yun Fan arrived at the small world, the Blood Prison Forbidden Land.
The Blood Prison Forbidden Land was, without a doubt, far more terrifying than the Abyss Forbidden Land he had fallen into before.
Even standing on the periphery, before entering, he felt a trace of fear, a terror originating from the depths of his soul.
Yet, he gritted his teeth and went in.
As soon as he stepped into the forbidden land, he found it to be incredibly quiet, even possessing a hint of peace. It didn't seem as terrifying as the rumors claimed.
Thus, he ventured further in. The sky had already darkened, and Yun Fan was preparing to find a place to meditate and rest.
Suddenly, a foul wind swept over him, and Yun Fan caught the scent of utter decay in the air.
"What is this?"
Before he could react, the next moment, he felt dizzy and disoriented. A red mist began to engulf his surroundings.
"Sha Qi!"
Yun Fan instantly realized, he hadn't expected Sha Qi to be present here, it was completely beyond his anticipation.
Moreover, this was by no means ordinary Sha Qi; even he, a peak Nascent Soul cultivator, seemed unable to withstand it.
Yun Fan hastily retreated, but the surrounding Sha Qi grew thicker, making him feel drowsy and unable to find his way out.
"Am I going to die here?"
Yun Fan was deeply unwilling, especially since he hadn't even found his master yet.
Suddenly, the demonic energy within him surged, and with the boost of the demonic energy, Yun Fan felt a moment of relief.
He immediately regained his clarity.
Upon clearing his head, he dared not linger. Instead, he used the cover of night to leave the valley. As he retreated, he saw many white bones scattered on the ground.
Some were human, some animal. This meant he wasn't the first unlucky soul; many had met their doom before him.
By the time he left the valley, daylight had fully broken. Although the path ahead held unknown perils, he could only press onward.
The area behind him was already filled and surrounded by Sha Qi. He had no chance of escaping now. The Blood Prison Forbidden Land was indeed as terrifying as rumored.
Subsequently, Yun Fan traversed through a forest of dead trees. Here, there seemed to be no apparent danger.
However, Yun Fan felt his thoughts becoming numb.
The evil thoughts within him resurfaced, "Hurry, get out of this cursed place!"
Yun Fan didn't delay for a moment. After all, if even the evil thoughts sensed danger, it proved that this place was far more complex than it seemed.
As soon as he exited this withered forest, a dense fog rolled in. Fortunately, there was no Sha Qi within the fog.
This brought him a sigh of relief, as he had been thoroughly frightened by the Sha Qi.
However, at this very moment, several auras approached.
"Hmm?"
As Yun Fan was contemplating, he saw six figures emerge from the mist, all of them cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage.
Their eyes were vacant, appearing devoid of life. Four of them wore tattered clothes.
The other two also wore tattered garments, but judging by their attire, Yun Fan recognized them as belonging to the Jiang and Ji families.
This meant these two were the former patriarchs of those families, and they had met their end in such a place.
Yun Fan quickly scanned the remaining four. Finding that his master was not among them, he let out a sigh of relief, knowing his master was not among these figures.
But he couldn't fathom what these six individuals had gone through to become such walking corpses.
"Hey! Are you still alive?"
Yun Fan asked tentatively.
However, at the next moment, a ghastly green light emanated from the eyes of the six figures, and they lunged at Yun Fan.
Yun Fan now fully believed they were dead, seemingly controlled by something.
Seeing the six charging at him, Yun Fan immediately retaliated.
After all, these six were merely cultivators in the mid to early Nascent Soul stages. Even if they were bizarre, they were no match for him.
Without delay, Yun Fan drew his magnificent sword and brought it down. The heads of two figures immediately fell to the ground.
But this was not the end. The remaining four attacked Yun Fan from four different directions, all of whom Yun Fan defeated one by one. With his current strength, killing cultivators below the mid-Nascent Soul stage was akin to chopping vegetables.
After dispatching these individuals, Yun Fan approached and discovered that they had no blood on them, much like the zombies of legend.
At this point, their bodies exploded, revealing six insects glowing with a ghastly green light. Even Yun Fan hadn't expected that these disgusting insects were controlling these people.
In that instant, Yun Fan acted swiftly, unleashing his energy from afar to shatter the insects.
The Blood Prison Forbidden Land was truly as terrifying as it was rumored. Even Yun Fan let out a gasp of fear.
He didn't stop, nor did he linger to understand the cause. He quickly moved through this misty area.
But just then, a pair of ghastly green eyes appeared in the mist. Before he could even react, countless more ghastly green eyes emerged from the mist, all of them crawling insects.
"Holy crap!"
Yun Fan felt his scalp tingle. He hadn't imagined there would be so many strange insects here, not only disgusting but also terrifying.
Looking around, there were hundreds, even thousands of them.
The next moment, as if receiving an order, these insects swarmed towards Yun Fan.
Yun Fan quickly attacked. He found that although these insects didn't appear to be high-level beings, their penetration power was formidable.
They could easily pierce even the Vajra Indestructible Body of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Yun Fan fought and retreated, the insects relentlessly pursuing him.
At this critical juncture, Yun Fan remembered the supplies the Black Dragon had prepared for him before he left. So, he immediately opened the supplies.
Inside were some food items and several incendiary bombs. Yun Fan was speechless, as such things were useless to a powerful cultivator like him!
However, the incendiary bombs proved to be very useful. Thus, he directly opened two incendiary bombs and tossed them towards the swarm of insects.
They instantly ignited, and the insects burst into flames, making Yun Fan feel quite disgusted. Fortunately, these insects were now burning.
The remaining unburnt insects dared not pursue him further.
Just as he was preparing to leave, a single insect suddenly darted forward with incredible speed, so fast that Yun Fan could only hear its movement, not see its form.
Could this be the legendary Insect King?
Before he could brace himself, he felt something wriggling inside his arm.
"Not good!"
Yun Fan's face paled with alarm. He hadn't expected this Insect King to have entered his body unseen, seemingly heading for his brain.
It intended to devour his brain matter and then control him, turning him into one of those walking corpses.
Seeing this, Yun Fan's expression changed drastically. If he didn't stop it, his fate would likely be no better.
At this point, the Insect King had reached his neck. One more step, and it would be his head. Yun Fan was nearly scared out of his wits.
The Insect King's combat power was not remarkable, but it was extremely peculiar. Humans seemed to be its hosts.
Fortunately, he had the power of the demonic path. Under the assault of the demonic energy, the Insect King seemed to sense a fatal threat.
It then retreated along the same path, eventually reaching his palm. Yun Fan expelled it from his body with his internal energy, followed by a flash of sword light, and the Insect King was instantly shattered.
At this moment, Yun Fan was filled with dread. If he had reacted even a moment later, he would have become a walking corpse. Facing such horror, even now, he was still filled with lingering fear.
After the Insect King's demise, the other insects quickly retreated back into the mist. Yun Fan felt a sense of calm descend.
At this, Yun Fan resumed his journey. He sensed that the deeper he went, the more dangerous it became.
Having learned from his previous experience, he dared not be careless this time. Just as he thought he was about to enter the most terrifying area,
He discovered a landscape of lakes and mountains ahead. The previous strangeness and fear were gone. It was like a paradise, refreshing and uplifting.
"I never thought this cursed place would hold such beauty!"
Yun Fan couldn't help but exclaim.
At this moment, his mind, which had been tense for so long, finally relaxed.
Subsequently, he arrived at the depths of a bamboo forest and unexpectedly found a thatched cottage.
"Hmm?"
He wondered which senior resided here. Anyone capable of living in a forbidden land was likely incredibly powerful.
So, he walked up, intending to pay his respects to this senior. Of course, his inner vigilance did not diminish.
Who knew if there were any hidden dangers here?
Upon reaching the front of the thatched cottage, he also saw two small vegetable patches. Indeed, this was the secluded dwelling of some great being.
When he stepped inside the thatched cottage, he was stunned. The furniture, the arrangement, and the tea sets—he seemed to have seen familiar scenes.
Then it struck him, wasn't this his master's former residence?
Yun Fan's excitement surged. He could finally see his master! He had thought his master might be in some danger inside!
It turned out he was living as a recluse, a refined gentleman. He had worried for nothing, as he had been concerned for his master's safety all along.
But from the current situation, there seemed to be no need for his worry.
However, when he saw the dust on the furniture, he frowned. It looked like no one had lived here for at least a month.
This left Yun Fan feeling rather vexed. Could it be that his master had met with misfortune?
If the Old Heavenly Master knew Yun Fan's thoughts, he would surely scold him, "You are truly killing me with your filial piety!"
Just then, a disheveled figure appeared.
"Master!"
Yun Fan was filled with excitement. He thought his master had left this place of cultivation, but unexpectedly, his master had returned.
Although the Old Heavenly Master appeared unkempt, he exuded an aura of celestial grace.
"You actually found your way here?"
The Old Heavenly Master was clearly surprised that his good disciple had managed to find him.
"It's a long story, Master!"
Yun Fan recounted everything that had happened since his master's departure. He had expected his master to show some concern for his hardships.
To his surprise, the Old Heavenly Master then revealed a meaningful smile: "Not bad! You managed to woo so many women!"
"Master, that's not the main point!"
Yun Fan said dejectedly, realizing his master was as unreliable as ever.
The Old Heavenly Master then asked Yun Fan, "Did you manage to win over your senior sisters?"
"This... that wouldn't be appropriate!"
Even Yun Fan felt awkward. He hadn't expected his master to be so improper.
The Old Heavenly Master then said, "Your senior sisters carry great fortune. Winning them over would be beneficial and harmless to you!"
"Uh..."
Yun Fan felt there was no point in continuing this conversation.
At this point, he asked the Old Heavenly Master, "Master, since you are safe and sound here, why don't you go out?"
"Why go out? This old man finds this place quite excellent!"
The Old Heavenly Master had no intention of leaving.
"Why?"
As Yun Fan questioned, the Old Heavenly Master immediately said, "Do you know why this old man came here back then?"
"Wasn't it because you were framed by your lover?"
"Nonsense!"
The Old Heavenly Master said angrily, "It's because I had to evade my romantic debts here, thus giving her an opportunity. In reality, she was still too naive in front of this old man. How could she possibly scheme against me!"
Yun Fan was truly speechless. To evade romantic debts, he fled to such a place. He didn't know how much trouble his master had caused.
"Of course, it was also to give you an opportunity to temper yourself. After all, if you want to become a true successor of Ghost Valley, you must learn to face everything alone. You can't always rely on this old master for protection. This path is, after all, a lonely one!"
The Old Heavenly Master said earnestly.
"I thank you kindly, old man!"
Yun Fan thought to himself, unable to refute. He had nearly died several times, after all. He had shouldered pressures that were not meant for his age.
At this, he asked the Old Heavenly Master, "Master, what realm are you at now?"
The Old Heavenly Master smiled, "Unspeakable, unspeakable!"
"Tch!"
Yun Fan scoffed. He was deliberately acting mysterious in front of his disciple. However, he didn't say anything further, as this was typical behavior for the Old Heavenly Master.
"Quickly go and wash the tea set for me, this old man wants to make tea!"
The Old Heavenly Master urged.
Thus, Yun Fan began the unfortunate task of tidying up for his master. Previously, his seventh senior sister used to do these chores, but now it was his turn.
While drinking tea, the Old Heavenly Master said with enjoyment, "It seems my decision back then was correct, letting you grow independently. Now you're almost on the verge of breaking through to the Land Immortal stage!"
"Master, are you really not planning to go out and see your old flame?"
Yun Fan said with a half-smile, "You know, the Holy Lord of Yaochi is in the prime of her youth. Are you truly willing to give her up?"
"You cheeky brat, you dare to tease your master!"
The Old Heavenly Master said, "No. In fact, this old man owes her greatly. After all, she had my daughter back then. I wonder how our daughter is doing now?"
"Daughter?"
Yun Fan was instantly stunned. This was too sensational! He even had a daughter.
The Old Heavenly Master said, "Look, this is a photo of my daughter!"
Yun Fan took the photo. It was taken over twenty years ago, slightly yellowed, but the girl's appearance was still clear.
This... this wasn't the outline of Yaochi? Although she was less than two years old at the time, Yun Fan could still find commonalities.
For example, they both had a mole on their chest. Ahem, the topic strayed, but upon learning the identity of the Old Heavenly Master's daughter, Yun Fan became somewhat uneasy.
He even felt a sense of guilt, as if he had stolen something.
"Good disciple, why is your face so pale?"
The Old Heavenly Master asked, confused. Not only was his face pale, but sweat was beading on his forehead.
Yun Fan quickly calmed himself and said, "Master, perhaps I caught a chill!"
He had to admit, that was a terrible excuse, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't possibly tell the old man that he had "handled" his daughter.
No, it was more accurate to say that Yaochi had "handled" him.
In any case, he absolutely couldn't admit it now, otherwise, he would surely be beaten to death by his master. After all, he had ruined his daughter.
This was an irreconcilable enmity! Even if he had been raised by the Old Heavenly Master, the old man would likely have strangled him to death.
At this point, the Old Heavenly Master said, "Brat, no matter how wild you are outside, or even if you get together with your senior sisters, this master won't interfere. But you must not lay eyes on this master's daughter, understand?"
"Completely understand!"
Yun Fan quickly agreed, while thinking to himself, "Master, it's not my fault. It's your daughter's fault for being so bold!"
Afterwards, they chatted about some trivial matters. Then, Yun Fan prepared to ask his master about the Feng Chan Land, as he knew little about it.
Moreover, his primary enemy from now on was the Feng Chan Land. As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself to win a hundred battles.
Although his current strength was still far from comparable to the Feng Chan Land, he decided to also tell his master about his physique. Although he was reluctant to admit the fact of his demonic energy, he had no intention of hiding it from his master and wanted to see his master's reaction.
Furthermore, he had a vague premonition that his master might have already known about his physique. Otherwise, with his master's power, it was impossible for him not to have detected his physique belonging to the demonic path.
All of this traced back to that sword. Thus, the next moment, he took out the magnificent sleeve sword.
Upon seeing this sword, the usually calm and composed Old Heavenly Master's expression suddenly changed, "Where did you get this sword?"