Yang Hong's feeling was correct; his scale space had also reached a bottleneck.
After absorbing the more than 80,000 demonic beasts and the 10 Nascent Soul cultivators from Guangyou Island that had been captured earlier,
His scale space grew to 199 zhang, 9 chi, and 9 cun on each side.
No matter how many great demons, lesser demons, or demon kings he absorbed, he could no longer add or subtract even an inch of space.
However, there was also good news: his scale space had begun to produce a very faint spiritual energy.
This seemed to signify that in the future, this space could also be used for planting spiritual plants, and even for raising animals.
This excited Yang Hong. He decided not to return to Guangyou Island for the time being.
He directly used water and earth遁術 (dùn shù - escape techniques), flashing through nearby islands.
Upon encountering any demonic beasts, regardless of their cultivation level, he would kill them, cripple them, and throw them into his scale space as nourishment.
This slaughter lasted for a month.
After this month, within a million li radius of Guangyou Island, there were no more transformed demonic beasts.
If Yang Hong hadn't felt somewhat tired, he might have continued.
His body was now imbued with immense malevolent energy and killing intent.
As a result, when he returned to Guangyou Island, the two Nascent Soul cultivators, Ni Zhennan and Pei Desheng, dared not approach him within ten zhang.
"Senior Yang... Senior Yang, the demonic beasts sent a letter for peace talks.
They say... they will migrate out of the million li area surrounding Guangyou Island, and request Senior Yang to stop killing."
Ni Zhennan said this with trepidation, his legs even trembling slightly.
A month ago, when Yang Hong used his escape techniques to ambush the demonic beasts, they hadn't seen it.
At that time, he was still maintaining the island protection formation of Guangyou Island.
When Yang Hong killed more than 80 demon kings with a single sword strike in the sea, he hadn't seen it either.
At that time, the demonic beasts had not yet retreated, and he dared not leave Guangyou Island.
By the time Yang Hong was chasing the demonic beasts, he was present,
because he could beat the drowning dogs.
Therefore, he had witnessed Yang Hong's feat of "one sword, eighty thousand demons!"
Now, whenever they recalled it, Ni Zhennan and Pei Desheng were filled with a mixture of admiration and fear.
Hence, they no longer dared to call Yang Hong "fellow Daoist" and instead addressed him as "Senior."
"Peace talks? They're already talking about peace talks?"
Yang Hong paid no attention to their new form of address, but his attention was drawn to the words "peace talks."
He had still planned to fight his way back to Rendao Island.
"Yes, Senior Yang.
Hundreds of demon kings from the demonic beast tribes have jointly signed a blood oath, pleading with Senior not to kill anymore.
They are afraid."
Ni Zhennan held a piece of beast skin with both hands, about to hand it to Yang Hong, but was hesitant to approach due to Yang Hong's overwhelming killing intent.
"Fine, no more killing.
Also, what's with that expression? Am I that scary?"
Seeing Ni Zhennan's timid demeanor, Yang Hong glared at him with dissatisfaction.
"Ah—Senior, don't kill me, don't kill me."
Yang Hong's gaze, tinged with killing intent, made Ni Zhennan stumble back two steps and fall to the ground.
"Hmph—so useless."
Yang Hong immediately understood that it was due to the killing intent on his person, but he couldn't help but comment disdainfully.
"Tai Shang Tai Xing, Ying Bian Wu Ting... Accomplish all wishes, as stated in the scriptures."
Since he understood the problem, Yang Hong immediately began to resolve it.
The best solution was to use the "Du Ren Jing" (Scripture for Saving All Beings) to dispel the malevolent energy on his body.
Malevolent energy, in essence, is the lingering resentment of those you have killed. The more you kill, the heavier the malevolent energy, which can eventually affect the cultivator's temperament.
At best, it leads to qi deviation; at worst, it leads to falling into demonic cultivation.
Furthermore, the malevolent energy carries the karma of the deceased, which burdens the killer, increasing the difficulty and danger of their heavenly tribulation.
It is generally very difficult for ordinary people to eliminate malevolent energy and karma.
However, Yang Hong's "Du Ren Jing" was an supreme method for eliminating malevolent energy and purifying karma.
Yang Hong fully released his spiritual sense, allowing the voice and influence of the "Du Ren Jing" to cover a radius of 3,200 li.
"Dan Zhu Kou Shen, Tu Hui Chu Fen. She Shen Zheng Lun, Tong Ming Yang Shen. Luo Qian Chi Shen, Que Xie Wei Zhen..."
After ten recitations, there were still faint traces of ghostly wails. Yang Hong continued to chant for sixty times before he had completely purified the yin souls of this land.
With this one purification, Yang Hong's spiritual sense had strengthened further.
[Yang Hong: Sixth Prince of the Great Sui Dynasty.
Daily灌顶 (guàn dǐng - consecration/imbued) Count: 10/10
Lifespan: 47/800
Cultivation: Ten Million Years True Essence (Golden Core Realm): Strength 9.99 million jin, Spiritual Sense 3230 li]
[Skills: Top-tier Breathing Technique 315 layers, Advanced Body Tempering Technique 299 layers
Martial Skills: Earnest Punch, Casual Slash, Earnest Sword
Spells: Minor Rain Summoning, Universal Salvation Demonic Sound (Proficient)...
Intent: Fist Intent: Fearless, Guardian
Sword Intent: Gentle Breeze
Special Abilities: Photographic Memory, Agricultural Expertise.]
Yang Hong's cultivation had been stuck in the Golden Core realm for a long time, but he wasn't in a hurry anymore. The next advancement required the Advanced Body Tempering Technique to evolve into the Super Body Tempering Technique.
This evolution would require 300,000 martial value points.
This would require a significant amount of time and gradual accumulation.
Even if he could complete the cultivation of 10 spells daily, and all of them were Rank Four or higher, it would still take 2,500 days to accumulate 300,000 martial value points.
However, in reality, Yang Hong could only achieve 1/5, or even less than 1/10, of this goal.
After all, the multiplier for the bestowed returns was random.
Moreover, the spells and techniques he had collected were not enough to reach 300,000 martial value points.
Yang Hong had calculated that after cultivating all his skills and spells, he would only have around 240,000 martial value points at most.
Therefore, Yang Hong had become temporarily indifferent.
Thinking about martial value points, Yang Hong turned to look at Ni Zhennan, whose face was filled with adoration.
"Fellow Daoist Ni, I need various cultivation techniques and spells. How many do you have on Guangyou Island? Give me all of them."
"T-techniques? Senior Yang, your cultivation is so high, and your techniques are so miraculous. The techniques on Guangyou Island, I'm afraid..."
Ni Zhennan was shocked again upon hearing Yang Hong's request for techniques. He worried that Yang Hong would be dissatisfied and kill him on the spot.
Although Yang Hong's malevolent energy and killing intent had completely dissipated, and he now exuded an aura of light and peace, Yang Hong's past achievements were deeply ingrained in his mind.
Fear had also taken root within him.
"I want to take them back for the humans on my Rendao Island to cultivate."
Yang Hong naturally didn't mention that he had a system, and fabricated a reason.
"Ah—so that's how it is, I understand!
I'll go get them right away."
An hour later, Ni Zhennan reappeared, carrying two storage rings.
One contained jade slips of cultivation techniques and spells, and the other contained inherited jade slips of the hundred arts of cultivation.
Ni Zhennan remembered that Yang Hong had previously mentioned wanting to purchase inheritances of the hundred arts of cultivation and had even given him a Rank Seven demon core earlier.
Then, he produced two more storage bags.
"Senior Yang, I've divided half of the grain seeds and half of the seeds for Rank Four and Rank Five Guangyou Gourds. This is a token of my respect.
As you know, Guangyou Island is not entirely safe, and I need to keep some for self-preservation."
Handing over the two storage bags, Ni Zhennan's face was full of caution and shame.
Yang Hong's month-long rampage meant that for at least a thousand years, the demonic beasts should not dare to invade. Guangyou Island could enter a period of rapid development.
"I don't need the grain seeds. Give me the cultivators at the early Qi Gathering stage on Guangyou Island.
I want to take them to teach the mortals on Rendao Island."
"Ah—that's no problem."
In a few words, the fate of over 60,000 people was decided.
As compensation, Yang Hong left Ni Zhennan another 40 Rank Six demon king demon cores before returning with the people and seeds, his vessels full.