Lunxian Island, the closest island to the Abyss Forbidden Zone.
On this day, a figure rapidly approached from afar. The person was Li Xuan, who had left the Tianyi Domain.
"I never thought that even the islands nearby would be so eroded. This Abyss Forbidden Zone is truly extraordinary," Li Xuan sighed, looking at the desolate and decaying scene of Lunxian Island below.
The Abyss Forbidden Zone was located in the sunken area of the connection zone between the six domains of the Cloud World. Its only entrance was this Lunxian Island.
*Buzz!*
Li Xuan slowly descended, and a barrier spontaneously lit up around his body.
Although Lunxian Island was merely the entrance to the Abyss Forbidden Zone, it had long been eroded by the malevolent energy emanating from it over the years.
Li Xuan sensed that the malevolent energy on Lunxian Island alone was enough to annihilate a spiritual master of the Transformation Realm. This showed the intensity of the malevolent energy within the Abyss Forbidden Zone.
The danger to those cultivators and even the demonic beasts that were eroded by the malevolent energy would likely be even greater.
"This is it." After searching with his divine sense for a moment, Li Xuan found the entrance to the formation within a mountain hollow.
This formation was jointly established by the Six Domain Grand Venerables in the past to suppress the fierce energy of the Abyss Forbidden Zone and prevent it from leaking out. However, with the passage of long years, the formation now showed signs of dissipating.
Nevertheless, in its current state, it could still last for several hundred years. After activating his defenses, Li Xuan stepped into it without hesitation.
*Whoosh!*
After a wave of dizziness passed, Li Xuan opened his eyes. All he could see was darkness and gloom.
The ground was covered with ravines.
The whistling wind was so fierce that it made Li Xuan's eardrums tremble.
Fortunately, Li Xuan had made thorough preparations before entering, and this was only the outer region of the Abyss Forbidden Zone. With Li Xuan's physical defense and the barrier formed by his spiritual pressure, he could still resist.
Although the environment was harsh, Li Xuan sensed that the spiritual energy in the air was no less potent than that of the Tianyi Pavilion.
Moreover, this was only the outer fringe. The deeper one went, the more concentrated the spiritual energy would naturally become.
"This malevolent energy has even transformed into malevolent winds. No wonder Elder Bai and the Grand Venerable's wife repeatedly warned me. But this place is indeed good. I hope it won't disappoint me."
Li Xuan murmured to himself and then slowly walked into the distance.
One day, two days... five days.
For a full five days, Li Xuan had not encountered a single person tainted by malevolence, let alone any demonic beasts.
"It seems difficult to encounter tainted individuals and demonic beasts without going deeper. I'll try to break through my physical body here then," Li Xuan said to himself after walking for another day, slowly stopping.
Over these six days, Li Xuan not only looked for any tainted individuals or demonic beasts that might roam this fringe area but also committed the general layout of the Abyss Forbidden Zone to memory.
Since he had encountered none after six days, it meant that the area was temporarily safe.
Making up his mind, Li Xuan sat cross-legged. His physical body had not been tempered since entering the Tianyi Domain.
In fact, it wasn't that Li Xuan hadn't put in the effort, but his physical body had reached its limit. After all, he had reached the pinnacle of the Nine Revolutions of Spirit Tempering. However, after cultivating the Chaos Heart Scripture, passed down by Grand Venerable Lin Yi, Li Xuan had new ideas.
Using the malevolent energy here to temper his physical body was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity. Once his physical body improved further, it would be a better guarantee for his subsequent deeper exploration of this place.
"I hope to gain something," Li Xuan murmured, then with a thought, his upper garments were shed. The barrier around his body simultaneously dissipated.
*Whoosh!*
As the barrier dispersed, the howling malevolent winds immediately swept over him.
*Chis!*
As the malevolent winds blew, several cuts instantly appeared on Li Xuan's body. Bright red blood spurted out, but quickly formed scabs. However, with the next gust of malevolent wind, new cuts appeared.
"Urgh..." Li Xuan grunted. The malevolent winds entering his body naturally carried malevolent energy. However, Li Xuan could purify the malevolent energy in this outer region.
At the same time, Li Xuan purified the malevolent energy entering his body while circulating the Chaos Heart Scripture to cultivate his physical body. Pains constantly struck, yet Li Xuan endured them. In just five minutes, Li Xuan's skin was no longer intact.
But to Li Xuan's relief, his physical body was indeed strengthening. Although extremely slowly, it was moving towards a more powerful direction.
"It's effective! Then I'll continue!"
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
For a month, Li Xuan's seated form had not moved. His body, already covered in scars, could now withstand the force of the malevolent winds. Even without the protection of a spiritual energy barrier, Li Xuan was unaffected by the malevolent winds at this moment.
*Crack!*
Just then, with a slight crisp sound, a crack appeared on the scars covering Li Xuan's body. The next moment, lines like a spiderweb spread all over his body.
*Boom!*
The lines traveled through his entire body, as if unable to bear it any longer, and burst open with a loud noise. A golden light instantly flashed out, engulfing Li Xuan's entire body. Upon closer inspection, Li Xuan's skin was as tender as if newborn.
But the spiritual aura rolling on it was immensely powerful. The fierce malevolent winds blew, but could not breach the defense at all. As the fragments of scars fell from his body, Li Xuan's slightly closed eyes slowly opened.
"This Chaos Heart Scripture is truly powerful! In just one month, it allowed me to touch upon the Supreme Saint Realm! This month of torment was not in vain," Li Xuan examined his physical body, then his eyes blazed with excitement as he murmured.
After the Myriad Manifestation Realm, the subsequent stages were the Supreme Saint Realm, the Saintly Arrival Realm, and the Transcendent Saint Realm. Li Xuan had been immersed in the Myriad Manifestation Realm for many years, and this breakthrough brought him some joy.
Although he had only touched the threshold of the Supreme Saint Realm, it was undoubtedly good progress. Moreover, he was still in the outer fringes of the Abyss Forbidden Zone. Li Xuan believed that he would be able to advance further in the depths.
The constant erosion by the malevolent winds for this past month had caused Li Xuan immense suffering. The malevolent winds continuously inflicted new injuries, and his physical body constantly repaired itself. Only the person experiencing it could truly understand the torment.
"At this point, I can advance a few miles to search for tainted individuals or demonic beasts for training," Li Xuan stood up, brushed the dust off himself, and then looked towards the depths, murmuring. As he spoke, he strode forward.
A day passed, and Li Xuan still encountered no tainted individuals or demonic beasts. On the contrary, the malevolent winds became more violent as he ventured deeper. After advancing three miles, Li Xuan had to activate his physical defense.
"This is already the limit I can withstand. From now on, I can only search within this area." After advancing a few hundred meters further, Li Xuan's body became extremely taut. He stopped and looked into the depths, then sat down cross-legged to recuperate.
As night fell, the malevolent winds surprisingly subsided a bit. Li Xuan opened his eyes and looked with surprise.
Although it was deep night, auspicious clouds flashed and changed in the sky. Looking out, it was exceptionally brilliant, like gazing at the starry sky, so beautiful it was captivating.
Over the years of cultivation, Li Xuan had never paid attention to such a night view. Looking at this scene, Li Xuan's entire body relaxed. His years of cultivation had been fast-paced, and it was rare to have such time to relax.
The night passed in silence.
In the morning, the malevolent winds surged, and Li Xuan's slightly closed eyes snapped open. To his excitement, this night of self-relaxation had made his state of mind even more stable and serene.
"Amidst great storms, there is such peace and serenity. Indeed, the matters of this world cannot be generalized," Li Xuan stood up, took a deep breath, and then turned his gaze towards the area on his left, striding forward.
Half an hour later, Li Xuan's footsteps gradually slowed. About a hundred meters ahead, a figure flickered in and out of view.
Li Xuan focused his gaze and saw that the person's clothes were tattered, and their entire body was a skeleton. The tainted individual exuded not the spiritual aura of a cultivator, but rolling malevolent energy. Clearly, this person had long been corrupted by malevolent energy.
"Finally, I've encountered a tainted individual. Judging by their appearance, they've likely been trapped here for many years," Li Xuan withdrew his gaze, then his figure moved, shooting towards the tainted individual.
From his recent divine sense scan, this person possessed mid-level Strength Realm cultivation. However, with Li Xuan's improved physical body and the Three Yangs Opening technique, he was not without a fight.
Moreover, this was the first tainted individual Li Xuan had encountered, and there was no reason to let them go.
*Roar!*
Li Xuan's movement caused the malevolent energy to shift, and naturally, the tainted individual noticed immediately. With a roar, the tainted individual also charged towards Li Xuan.
"Overlord Fist Unrivaled!"
Seeing this, Li Xuan clenched his left fist and punched towards the tainted individual.
*Bang!*
With a single punch, both Li Xuan and the tainted individual were repelled. Before Li Xuan could steady himself, the tainted individual charged forward again. Seeing this, Li Xuan punched again.
*Bang bang bang!*
After several consecutive punches, the surrounding malevolent energy became increasingly chaotic. Seeing this, Li Xuan deployed his spiritual energy barrier, and the Star Spiritual Pearl within his divine mansion instantly glowed. The spiritual pressure formed by fifty million Star Spiritual Pearls spread out.
"One Technique Suppresses Heaven!"
Li Xuan formed hand seals, and immense spiritual energy poured out. A golden light descended from the sky, instantly falling towards the tainted individual.
*Roar!*
"Mirror... Heart... Guard...!"
A hoarse voice came from the tainted individual's throat, and an demonic light instantly lit up around their body, forming a barrier.
*Boom!*
The golden light descended and struck the barrier squarely. Numerous spiritual lights scattered, and Li Xuan's attack failed to directly break the tainted individual's defense. Watching the golden light continue to erode, Li Xuan formed hand seals again.
"Four Symbols Qian Yuan Art!"
"Four Symbols Descend!"
With each of Li Xuan's fingers pointing down, four divine beast illusions solidified. With a roar, they all lunged towards the tainted individual's barrier.
*Boom!*
The previous golden light was already locked in a stalemate with the tainted individual's barrier. With the addition of the four divine beast illusions, the tainted individual's barrier suddenly burst open with a loud noise.
Spiritual lights scattered everywhere, and Li Xuan, floating in mid-air, kept his eyes fixed on the tainted individual's location.
As the spiritual lights dispersed, the tainted individual's body had already been blown apart by the massive explosion. Rolling malevolent energy continuously emerged, then intertwined with the malevolent winds and blew into the distance.
"Although this tainted individual fights fearlessly without feeling pain, they are clearly not as agile and flexible as someone with self-awareness. However, even so, it consumed eighty percent of my spiritual energy, indicating that this person was indeed powerful in life."
"It's a pity, though. If they hadn't entered this Abyss Forbidden Zone, they likely wouldn't have met such an end."
Looking at the scattered bones before him, Li Xuan fell silent for a moment before sighing. He then bowed to the skeleton, and with a wave of his hand, created a large pit to bury them. After doing so, Li Xuan sat down on the spot to recuperate and absorb spiritual energy.
An hour later, Li Xuan slowly opened his eyes.
"This method of training is quite good. I'll continue now."