dāng rán ， lín xuān yě xīn lǐ qīng chǔ ， zhè yàng de jī huì bìng bù dà de 。
当然，林轩也心里清楚，这样的机会并不大的。
Of course, Lin Xuan was also acutely aware that such an opportunity would not come easily.
suǒ yǐ jiù yào zuò zuì huài de dǎ suàn le 。
所以就要做最坏的打算了。
So he had to prepare for the worst-case scenario. If his form was exposed and he couldn't save the few girls, then he could only rely on his strength to subdue Qin Yan, making her hesitate before releasing them.
ruò shì zì jǐ shēn xíng bào lù ， hái wú fǎ jiāng jǐ gè yā tou jiù chū ， nà me ， jiù zhǐ yǒu píng shí lì shuō huà ， jiāng qín yán zhì fú ， ràng tā tóu shǔ jì qì ， bù dé bù fàng le jǐ nǚ 。
若是自己身形暴露，还无法将几个丫头救出，那么，就只有凭实力说话，将秦妍制伏，让她投鼠忌器，不得不放了几女。
But implementing this plan was easier said than done; it still posed significant challenges.
dàn cǐ jǔ shuō shuō róng yì ， zhēn yào zuò ， yī jiù shì kùn nán chóng chóng dì 。
但此举说说容易，真要做，依旧是困难重重地。
The Fairy of the Clouds had changed significantly since their last encounter in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Lin Xuan had already experienced her formidable power there, even though he had advanced to late-stage Tribulation Transcendence. Qin Yan was aware of his advancement, so she must have some form of support that allowed her to be so bold.
yún zhōng xiān zi jīn fēi xī bǐ ， zài shí wàn dà shān ， lín xuān jiù yǐ jīng lǐng jiào guò tā de shí lì ， suī rán zì jǐ yǐ jìn jiē dào dù jié hòu qī ， dàn zhè yì diǎn bìng bú shì mì mì ， qín yán yǐ rán qīng chǔ ， zhè yàng de qíng kuàng xià tā hái gǎn yǒu shì wú kǒng ， nà kěn dìng shì yǒu yǐ zhàng dì 。
云中仙子今非昔比，在十万大山，林轩就已经领教过她的实力，虽然自己已进阶到渡劫后期，但这一点并不是秘密，秦妍已然清楚，这样的情况下她还敢有恃无恐，那肯定是有倚仗地。
Lin Xuan sighed; this mission was indeed extremely dangerous. From any angle, the chances of him successfully rescuing everyone were slim.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， cǐ xíng hái zhēn shì wēi xiǎn yǐ jí ， bù lùn cóng nǎ ge jiǎo dù fēn xī ， zì jǐ xiǎng yào shùn lì jiù rén de jī lǜ ， dōu shì wēi hū qí wēi dì 。
林轩叹了口气，此行还真是危险以极，不论从哪个角度分析，自己想要顺利救人的几率，都是微乎其微地。
But dwelling on one's worries didn't solve problems. He couldn't just ignore the girls' peril and hope for the best. Better to face it head-on.
dàn yù mèn jiě jué bù liǎo wèn tí ， zì jǐ zǒng bù néng duì jǐ gè yā tou de wēi nàn ， shì ruò wú dǔ ， dà bù liǎo bīng lái jiāng dǎng shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn hǎo le 。
但郁闷解决不了问题，自己总不能对几个丫头的危难，视若无睹，大不了兵来将挡水来土掩好了。
With his mind made up, Little Butterfly's voice entered his ears: "Young Master, the Foe Demon Valley is vast. Why don’t we split into two teams? This way, we can search more quickly and also confuse our enemies."
lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， xiǎo dié de shēng yīn yǐ chuán rù ěr duǒ ：“ shào yé ， zhuì mó gǔ miàn jī guǎng bó ， bù rú wǒ men bīng fēn liǎng lù ， zhè yàng xún zhǎo qǐ lái ， jì gèng wéi xùn sù ， yě kě yǐ qǐ dào mí huò dí rén de xiào guǒ 。”
林轩脑海中念头转过，小蝶的声音已传入耳朵：“少爷，坠魔谷面积广博，不如我们兵分两路，这样寻找起来，既更为迅速，也可以起到迷惑敌人的效果。”
"Splitting into two teams—do you want to go alone? That might be too dangerous," Lin Xuan said, a hint of contemplation on his face.
“ bīng fēn liǎng lù ， nǐ yào yí gè rén xíng dòng me ， zhè yàng huì bú huì tài wēi xiǎn le ？”
“兵分两路，你要一个人行动么，这样会不会太危险了？”
"Don't worry, Lin Brother; I am the Phantasmal Moon Moth. My specialty is concealment and illusion. The Foe Demon Valley may be full of dangers, but it won’t trap me. There will be no danger," Little Butterfly said with confidence.
lín xuān liǎn shàng liú lù chū yī sī chén yín zhī sè 。
林轩脸上流露出一丝沉吟之色。
"Alright, then let’s rely on you."
“ lín xiōng nǐ tài duō lǜ le ， bié wàng le wǒ de běn tǐ nǎi shì huàn yuè é ， zuì shàn cháng de jiù shì yǐn nì yǔ huàn shù ， zhè zhuì mó gǔ suī wēi jī sì fú ， dàn yī yàng kùn wǒ bú zhù ， bú huì yǒu shén me wēi xiǎn de 。” xiǎo dié liǎn shàng mǎn shì zì xìn zhī sè 。
“林兄你太多虑了，别忘了我的本体乃是幻月蛾，最擅长的就是隐匿与幻术，这坠魔谷虽危机四伏，但一样困我不住，不会有什么危险的。”小蝶脸上满是自信之色。
Lin Xuan nodded without much thought, agreeing to the plan.
“ hǎo ， nà jiù xīn kǔ nǐ le 。”
“好，那就辛苦你了。”
Little Butterfly's face lit up as she laughed and emitted a colorful light from her body. The girl had disappeared, replaced by a beautiful Phantasmal Moon Moth. She fluttered her wings and shrunk in size, resembling an ordinary butterfly before flying out of the valley on aevil wind.
lín xuān méi yǒu duō zuò sī suǒ ， diǎn diǎn tóu biǎo shì tóng yì le 。
林轩没有多做思索，点点头表示同意了。
Lin Xuan was speechless; this girl's abilities were truly unparalleled. This would significantly reduce the chances of being discovered.
xiǎo dié liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī xǐ sè ， bàn suí zhe qīng xiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， wǔ yán liù sè de guāng yùn yóu tā shēn tǐ biǎo miàn pēn bó 。
小蝶脸上露出一丝喜色，伴随着轻笑声传入耳朵，五颜六色的光晕由她身体表面喷薄。
With her help, rescuing the girls wasn’t entirely hopeless. Lin Xuan then took Moon with him and flew out of his cave.
zhè yā tou bú jiàn le 。
这丫头不见了。
This time, he didn't delay but headed straight for the Foe Demon Valley.
qǔ ér dài zhī de shì yī zhī měi lì de huàn yuè é 。
取而代之的是一只美丽的幻月蛾。
...
tā jū rán jiāng yuán xíng xiàn chū ， suí hòu chì bǎng yī shàn ， shēn xíng zhòu rán suō xiǎo le qǐ lái ， biàn dé yǔ pǔ tōng de hú dié xiāng chà fǎng fú 。 suí hòu jià yù zhe yī zhèn yāo fēng fēi chū le shān gǔ 。
她居然将原形现出，随后翅膀一扇，身形骤然缩小了起来，变得与普通的蝴蝶相差仿佛。随后驾驭着一阵妖风飞出了山谷。
An hour later, Lin Xuan had arrived in the heart of the valley.
lín xuān kàn dé yī zhèn wú yǔ ， zhè yā tou de běn shì hái zhēn shì rén suǒ bù jí ， zhè yàng de huà ， bèi fā xiàn de jī lǜ què shí yào xiǎo shàng xǔ duō 。
林轩看得一阵无语，这丫头的本事还真是人所不及，这样的话，被发现的几率确实要小上许多。
Although this was his first visit to the Foe Demon Valley, after a mental scan, he knew exactly where to look. He had pinpointed several locations where the girls might be held captive.
dé tā bāng zhù ， jiù huí jǐ gè yā tou bú huì yī sī xī wàng yě wú ， suí hòu lín xuān dài zhe yuè ér yì fēi chū le dòng fǔ 。
得她帮助，救回几个丫头不会一丝希望也无，随后林轩带着月儿亦飞出了洞府。
Now, all he needed to do was avoid alarming them and carefully search each location one by one.
zhè yī cì bù zài dān gē ， zhí bēn zhuì mó gǔ 。
这一次不再耽搁，直奔坠魔谷。
There were seven suspicious areas in total; he only needed to check half of them. The rest would be Little Butterfly's responsibility.
……
……
Having advanced to late-stage Tribulation Transcendence, Lin Xuan’s concealment techniques were formidable indeed. Despite the numerous dangers within the valley, he managed to avoid them for an entire hour without being detected by Qin Yan, who had already infiltrated his inner sanctum.
yí gè shí chén yǐ hòu ， lín xuān yǐ jīng lái dào le shān gǔ shēn chù 。
一个时辰以后，林轩已经来到了山谷深处。
Of course, this didn’t come without a cost; during that hour, Lin Xuan moved at an excruciatingly slow pace.
zhuì mó gǔ miàn jī guǎng bó ， dàn jīng guò gāng cái de shén shí sōu suǒ ， lín xuān suī shì dì yī cì lái cǐ chù 。 què yǐ néng zuò dào yǒu dì fàng shǐ le 。
坠魔谷面积广博，但经过刚才的神识搜索，林轩虽是第一次来此处。却已能做到有的放矢了。
But impatience wouldn't get him anywhere. With such composure, how could he lack patience?
zài tā de xīn zhōng ， yǐ què dìng le jǐ gè dì diǎn ， jǐ gè yā tou yǒu kě néng bèi guān zài lǐ miàn 。
在他的心中，已确定了几个地点，几个丫头有可能被关在里面。
The Foe Demon Valley sounded like just a valley from its name, but once inside, the terrain was incredibly complex—mountains, rivers, lakes, swamps, and more.
zì jǐ xiàn zài yào zuò de ， jiù shì jǐn liàng bù dǎ cǎo jīng shé ， rán hòu yí gè dì diǎn ， yí gè dì diǎn de zǐ xì sōu suǒ 。
自己现在要做的，就是尽量不打草惊蛇，然后一个地点，一个地点的仔细搜索。
Before his eyes lay an endless desert. The sky above was unusually dark, and everywhere was shrouded in a grayish demonic aura that added to the eerie atmosphere of the wasteland.
kě yí de dì diǎn yī gòng yǒu qī chù zhī duō ， zì jǐ zhǐ yào sōu xún qí zhōng de yí bàn jiù kě yǐ le ， shèng xià de ， zé yóu xiǎo dié fù zé 。
可疑的地点一共有七处之多，自己只要搜寻其中的一半就可以了，剩下的，则由小蝶负责。
Most cultivators would be deeply intimidated by such a vast desert, but Lin Xuan paid no heed. His cloak fluttered as he flew into it.
jìn rù dù jié hòu qī 。 lín xuān de yǐn nì shù dàng zhēn fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， zhuì mó gǔ zhōng wēi xiǎn shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， jū rán bèi tā xiǎo xīn bì guò ， zhěng zhěng yí gè shí chén guò qù le 。 qín yán yī jiù bù zhī dào yǒu dí rén ， yǐ jīng qián rù le zì jǐ de fù xīn shēn chù 。
进入渡劫后期。林轩的隐匿术当真非同小可，坠魔谷中危险数不胜数，居然被他小心避过，整整一个时辰过去了。秦妍依旧不知道有敌人，已经潜入了自己的腹心深处。
"Kraa!"
dāng rán ， yě bù kě bù néng yì diǎn dài jià dōu bù fù ， zhè yí gè shí chén 。 lín xuān yí dòng de sù dù màn dé lí pǔ 。
当然，也不可不能一点代价都不付，这一个时辰。林轩移动的速度慢得离谱。
Suddenly, an irritating sound reached his ears.
dàn xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòu fǔ ， yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， yòu zěn me kě néng lián zhè diǎn nài xīn dōu méi yǒu ne ？
但心急吃不了热豆腐，以林轩的城府，又怎么可能连这点耐心都没有呢？
Lin Xuan looked up and saw a flock of enormous crows. Unlike ordinary crows, these were much larger, with wingspans exceeding ten feet. They exuded a heart-stopping demonic aura.
zhuì mó gǔ 。 cóng biǎo miàn míng zì tīng lái ， shì yí gè shān gǔ ， dàn zhēn zhèng jìn rù qí nèi bù yǐ hòu ， cái fā xiàn qí dì xíng shí fēn fán fù 。
坠魔谷。从表面名字听来，是一个山谷，但真正进入其内部以后，才发现其地形十分繁复。
Each had four eyes and three legs, with terrifying rays of light emanating from their depths.
shān chuān ， hé liú ， hú pō ， zhǎo zé ， shǔ bù shèng shǔ 。
山川，河流，湖泊，沼泽，数不胜数。
Demonic creatures!
cǐ shí ， chéng xiàn yú lín xuān yǎn lián zhōng de ， shì yī piàn huāng mò 。
此时，呈现于林轩眼帘中的，是一片荒漠。
Lin Xuan didn't recognize the appearance of these crows but knew they were likely some kind of beast that had been corrupted by demonic energy.
yí wàng wú jì ， tóu dǐng de tiān sè gèng shì hūn àn yǐ jí ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， dào chù dōu shì huī méng méng de mó qì ， ràng zhè huāng yuán ， gèng duō le jǐ fēn yīn sēn de qì xī 。
一望无际，头顶的天色更是昏暗以极，放眼望去，到处都是灰蒙蒙的魔气，让这荒原，更多了几分阴森的气息。
However, his trail hadn’t been uncovered until now. Could these crows possess any innate abilities?
ruò shì yì bān de xiū xiān zhě ， miàn duì zhè yàng yī zuò huāng mò ， fēi dà gǎn wèi jù shén me ， lín xuān què yì diǎn yě bù zài hū ， dùn guāng sī háo tíng xiē yě wú ， zhí jiē jiù fēi jìn qù le 。
若是一般的修仙者，面对这样一座荒漠，非大感畏惧什么，林轩却一点也不在乎，遁光丝毫停歇也无，直接就飞进去了。
For instance, could they have a powerful spiritual eye technique?
“ gū ！”
“呱！”
Lin Xuan frowned in thought.
tū rán ， yī zhèn lìng rén fán zào de jiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
突然，一阵令人烦躁的叫声传入耳朵。
But there was no time for further contemplation; the crows were closing in on him from within a hundred feet.
lín xuān tái qǐ tóu lú ， yī qún jù dà de wū yā zài yǎn lián zhōng fú xiàn ér chū 。
林轩抬起头颅，一群巨大的乌鸦在眼帘中浮现而出。
With a wave of his sleeve, numerous bright sword lights shot out like a storm.
yǔ pǔ tōng de wū yā bù tóng ， yǎn qián zhè xiē wū yā yào dà shàng xǔ duō ， yì zhǎn zú yǒu zhàng yú ， hún shēn sàn fà zhe lìng rén xīn jì de mó qì 。
与普通的乌鸦不同，眼前这些乌鸦要大上许多，翼展足有丈余，浑身散发着令人心悸的魔气。
They enveloped nearly a hundred demonic crows before them. These demonized creatures were formidable; each one was equivalent to an advanced-stage Core Formation cultivator.
sì yǎn sān zú ， móu dǐ shēn chù ， gèng yǒu kě pà de yì máng sǎn shè ér chū 。
四眼三足，眸底深处，更有可怕的异芒散射而出。
Their numbers made it difficult for even low-grade Foundation Establishment cultivators to face them without concern.
mó wù ！
魔物！
But against Lin Xuan, they posed no challenge at all. The sword lights flashed, and the demonic crows fell like rain from the sky.
zhè wū yā xíng mào lí pǔ ， lín xuān bìng bù shí dé ， dàn xiǎn rán shì mǒu zhǒng yāo shòu zhān rǎn mó qì hòu biàn huà ér chéng de 。
这乌鸦形貌离谱，林轩并不识得，但显然是某种妖兽沾染魔气后变化而成的。
The danger had passed, but a shadow of worry crossed Lin Xuan’s face.
zhǐ shì ， zhè yī lù shàng zì jǐ de xíng jì dōu bù céng bèi kàn pò ， nán dào yǎn qián de wū yā ， yǒu shén me tiān fù shén tōng ？
只是，这一路上自己的行迹都不曾被看破，难道眼前的乌鸦，有什么天赋神通？
Remember that he was in the Foe Demon Valley now. Any demonized creatures here could be under the control of the Fairy of the Clouds.
bǐ rú shuō ， lì hài de líng yǎn mì shù ？
比如说，厉害的灵眼秘术？
In other words, his form might already have been exposed.
lín xuān zhòu méi sī suǒ 。
林轩皱眉思索。
Of course, this was just speculation.
dàn cǐ kè yǐ jīng méi yǒu shí jiān gěi tā duō xiǎng le ， wū yā yǐ jiē jìn le shēn qián bǎi zhàng zhī chù 。
但此刻已经没有时间给他多想了，乌鸦已接近了身前百丈之处。
Even if it were true, worrying about it wouldn’t help.
lín xuān xiù páo yī fú ， yī dào dào liàng lì de jiàn guāng jī shè ér chū 。
林轩袖袍一拂，一道道亮丽的剑光激射而出。
Well, things had come to this; dwelling on worries would serve no purpose.
rú jí fēng zhòu yǔ ， shùn jiān jiù jiāng lái dào shēn qián de jìn bǎi zhǐ mó yā lǒng zhào zhù 。
如疾风骤雨，瞬间就将来到身前的近百只魔鸦笼罩住。
Lin Xuan’s entire body emitted a green glow as he transformed into a streak of lightning and continued flying deeper into the desert.
píng xīn lái shuō ， zhè xiē bèi mó huà hòu de yāo zú shí lì bù sú ， měi yī zhī ， jī hū dōu xiāng dāng yú yuán yīng hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě 。
平心来说，这些被魔化后的妖族实力不俗，每一只，几乎都相当于元婴后期的修仙者。
...
shù liàng yòu duō ， biàn shì yì bān de dòng xuán qī cún zài yù jiàn le ， yě fēi dà gǎn zhòu méi bù kě 。
数量又多，便是一般的洞玄期存在遇见了，也非大感皱眉不可。
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan's concerns weren't unfounded. As the demonic crows were destroyed, in a secluded cave deep within the valley where the demonic aura was thickest, the Fairy of the Clouds opened her eyes.
rán ér duì shàng lín xuān ， què shì sī háo xuán niàn yě wú ， jiàn guāng shǎn guò ， suǒ yǒu de mó yā jiù fēn luò rú yǔ ， yóu bàn kōng zhōng zhuì le xià qù 。
然而对上林轩，却是丝毫悬念也无，剑光闪过，所有的魔鸦就纷落如雨，由半空中坠了下去。
Even as an Exiled Heaven Demon, she still looked as if she had never tasted human food. A hint of surprise flashed across her eyes: "You’re here so quickly, Lin Brother. You’ve never let me down; you're always so bold and courageous. But this time, I won’t let you leave the Foe Demon Valley easily."
wēi xiǎn jiě chú ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng ， què shǎn guò yī sī yīn mái zhī sè 。
危险解除，林轩的脸上，却闪过一丝阴霾之色。
"Want to rescue them? Fine, I’ll do as you wish. This web of traps—see if you can get out safely," she said almost to herself.
bié wàng le ， zì jǐ rú jīn shì zài zhuì mó gǔ 。
别忘了，自己如今是在坠魔谷。
Without moving a finger, Qin Yan was enveloped in milky-white demonic energy. A strong demonic wind blew, and her figure vanished from sight.
zhè lǐ miàn bèi mó huà hòu de yāo zú ， dōu yǒu kě néng shì yún zhōng xiān zi de ěr mù 。
这里面被魔化后的妖族，都有可能是云中仙子的耳目。
...
huàn jù huà shuō ， zì jǐ de shēn xíng ， yǐ jīng yǒu kě néng bào lù 。
换句话说，自己的身形，已经有可能暴露。
This was a natural underground cave with an enormous area, covering several thousand acres. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing amiss except for the denser demonic aura that was sealed by some strange array.
Of course, Lin Xuan was also acutely aware that such an opportunity would not come easily.
So he had to prepare for the worst-case scenario. If his form was exposed and he couldn't save the few girls, then he could only rely on his strength to subdue Qin Yan, making her hesitate before releasing them.
But implementing this plan was easier said than done; it still posed significant challenges.
The Fairy of the Clouds had changed significantly since their last encounter in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Lin Xuan had already experienced her formidable power there, even though he had advanced to late-stage Tribulation Transcendence. Qin Yan was aware of his advancement, so she must have some form of support that allowed her to be so bold.
Lin Xuan sighed; this mission was indeed extremely dangerous. From any angle, the chances of him successfully rescuing everyone were slim.
But dwelling on one's worries didn't solve problems. He couldn't just ignore the girls' peril and hope for the best. Better to face it head-on.
With his mind made up, Little Butterfly's voice entered his ears: "Young Master, the Foe Demon Valley is vast. Why don’t we split into two teams? This way, we can search more quickly and also confuse our enemies."
"Splitting into two teams—do you want to go alone? That might be too dangerous," Lin Xuan said, a hint of contemplation on his face.
"Don't worry, Lin Brother; I am the Phantasmal Moon Moth. My specialty is concealment and illusion. The Foe Demon Valley may be full of dangers, but it won’t trap me. There will be no danger," Little Butterfly said with confidence.
"Alright, then let’s rely on you."
Lin Xuan nodded without much thought, agreeing to the plan.
Little Butterfly's face lit up as she laughed and emitted a colorful light from her body. The girl had disappeared, replaced by a beautiful Phantasmal Moon Moth. She fluttered her wings and shrunk in size, resembling an ordinary butterfly before flying out of the valley on aevil wind.
Lin Xuan was speechless; this girl's abilities were truly unparalleled. This would significantly reduce the chances of being discovered.
With her help, rescuing the girls wasn’t entirely hopeless. Lin Xuan then took Moon with him and flew out of his cave.
This time, he didn't delay but headed straight for the Foe Demon Valley.
...
An hour later, Lin Xuan had arrived in the heart of the valley.
Although this was his first visit to the Foe Demon Valley, after a mental scan, he knew exactly where to look. He had pinpointed several locations where the girls might be held captive.
Now, all he needed to do was avoid alarming them and carefully search each location one by one.
There were seven suspicious areas in total; he only needed to check half of them. The rest would be Little Butterfly's responsibility.
Having advanced to late-stage Tribulation Transcendence, Lin Xuan’s concealment techniques were formidable indeed. Despite the numerous dangers within the valley, he managed to avoid them for an entire hour without being detected by Qin Yan, who had already infiltrated his inner sanctum.
Of course, this didn’t come without a cost; during that hour, Lin Xuan moved at an excruciatingly slow pace.
But impatience wouldn't get him anywhere. With such composure, how could he lack patience?
The Foe Demon Valley sounded like just a valley from its name, but once inside, the terrain was incredibly complex—mountains, rivers, lakes, swamps, and more.
Before his eyes lay an endless desert. The sky above was unusually dark, and everywhere was shrouded in a grayish demonic aura that added to the eerie atmosphere of the wasteland.
Most cultivators would be deeply intimidated by such a vast desert, but Lin Xuan paid no heed. His cloak fluttered as he flew into it.
"Kraa!"
Suddenly, an irritating sound reached his ears.
Lin Xuan looked up and saw a flock of enormous crows. Unlike ordinary crows, these were much larger, with wingspans exceeding ten feet. They exuded a heart-stopping demonic aura.
Each had four eyes and three legs, with terrifying rays of light emanating from their depths.
Demonic creatures!
Lin Xuan didn't recognize the appearance of these crows but knew they were likely some kind of beast that had been corrupted by demonic energy.
However, his trail hadn’t been uncovered until now. Could these crows possess any innate abilities?
For instance, could they have a powerful spiritual eye technique?
Lin Xuan frowned in thought.
But there was no time for further contemplation; the crows were closing in on him from within a hundred feet.
With a wave of his sleeve, numerous bright sword lights shot out like a storm.
They enveloped nearly a hundred demonic crows before them. These demonized creatures were formidable; each one was equivalent to an advanced-stage Core Formation cultivator.
Their numbers made it difficult for even low-grade Foundation Establishment cultivators to face them without concern.
But against Lin Xuan, they posed no challenge at all. The sword lights flashed, and the demonic crows fell like rain from the sky.
The danger had passed, but a shadow of worry crossed Lin Xuan’s face.
Remember that he was in the Foe Demon Valley now. Any demonized creatures here could be under the control of the Fairy of the Clouds.
In other words, his form might already have been exposed.
Of course, this was just speculation.
Even if it were true, worrying about it wouldn’t help.
Well, things had come to this; dwelling on worries would serve no purpose.
Lin Xuan’s entire body emitted a green glow as he transformed into a streak of lightning and continued flying deeper into the desert.
...
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan's concerns weren't unfounded. As the demonic crows were destroyed, in a secluded cave deep within the valley where the demonic aura was thickest, the Fairy of the Clouds opened her eyes.
Even as an Exiled Heaven Demon, she still looked as if she had never tasted human food. A hint of surprise flashed across her eyes: "You’re here so quickly, Lin Brother. You’ve never let me down; you're always so bold and courageous. But this time, I won’t let you leave the Foe Demon Valley easily."
"Want to rescue them? Fine, I’ll do as you wish. This web of traps—see if you can get out safely," she said almost to herself.
Without moving a finger, Qin Yan was enveloped in milky-white demonic energy. A strong demonic wind blew, and her figure vanished from sight.
...
This was a natural underground cave with an enormous area, covering several thousand acres. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing amiss except for the denser demonic aura that was sealed by some strange array.