Fang Han felt a deep sense of satisfaction—it was as though he had finally exhaled the anger and frustration that had long weighed upon his chest.
Still, he was well aware that his current strength was only possible because of Fang Qingxue's support. One day, when he attained true divine powers like hers, he would finally be free—able to act as he pleased, unrestrained, roaming the heavens and earth with pride.
"My power now rivals that of ten horses," he mused as he strode deeper into the Sky Courtyard. "Once I become an inner disciple and cultivate a little longer, I might just be ready to break through to the Divine Ability realm. After all, a Nine-Aperture Golden Pill isn't something to take lightly. Maybe I can even fight for a place on the Mountain and River Ranking. If I make it into the top ten, the rewards will be enormous—spirit tools, enchanted robes, flying swords, mountains of elixirs… No reason not to take them."
Joining the inner sect was already certain for him. Now, his next goal was the Heavenly Demon Battlefield—to capture as many demons as he could and refine them into Biluo Great Pills. Pills were sustenance; the more he had, the steadier his path.
"Stop! Show your examination token!"
Before him loomed a massive stone gate, sealed tight and flanked by four elders of the Feather Transformation Gate. Their expressions were stern as one of them barked the order.
Fang Han quickly presented his jade token. He knew better than to offend these elders—though they hadn't reached the Divine Ability realm, their combat strength was formidable, each armed with powerful spirit tools and flying swords. Provoking them would be like offending one of the sect's elite cultivators.
A half-elder took the token and waved his hand. The jade erupted into a streak of light, striking the gate.
Boom!
The ancient stone doors rumbled open, releasing a vast and oppressive aura—like the breath of a starry void. Fang Han felt his mind waver beneath its immensity. Through the opening, he saw nothing but rolling, chaotic air currents—a vacuum of nothingness.
"Enter," one of the elders said coldly. "Stay in the Heavenly Demon Battlefield for ten days and ten nights, and you may return. It's a place of trial—if you can endure the demons' mental assaults, your spirit will grow stronger. But if you can't… you'll die. You may still turn back now."
He held out a small jade bottle. "Five Fasting Pills. They'll sustain you for the duration. Will you take them?"
"I won't back down." Fang Han snatched the pills and stepped through the gate without hesitation.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the world seemed to collapse around him. A dizzying vertigo seized him—his vision spun, his body tossed and turned as though falling through an endless abyss. Only his immense physical strength kept him from retching on the spot.
A strange humming filled his ears, like a million bees buzzing in chaos. Then—suddenly—his feet touched solid ground.
He looked up, and his breath caught.
A desolate plain stretched endlessly before him, pocked with massive craters as though bombarded by falling stars. The air shimmered with a faint green hue, and the sky above glowed with scattered points of light. Enormous stone spheres hung suspended high above—so close they seemed within reach, though Fang Han knew they were thousands of miles away.
"This… this isn't the same world," he whispered.
Indeed—no sky in his realm ever bore such sights.
"Is this the Heavenly Demon Battlefield?"
He turned around, but the stone gate was gone, vanished without a trace. It was as though he had been exiled to a distant, forgotten realm.
"This is the Outer Sky Realm," came Yan's raspy voice in his mind, filled with fascination. "That stone gate was a channel of condensed magic power. Only those with powerful bodies can survive the passage. Many sect disciples who break the rules are banished here forever. This place lies millions of miles from your world—without divine power, you can never return. And yes… this is where the Heavenly Demons dwell."
Yan chuckled. "And they love strong, vital flesh—like yours. Give it time, and they'll come swarming. Then we can hunt them, refine their essence, and make a fortune in pills."
"Where should we go?" Fang Han scanned the empty horizon. "I don't see any other disciples."
"The sect scattered everyone across different regions," Yan explained. "They don't want anyone banding together for safety. This whole place—this 'battlefield'—is actually a desolate planet, vast beyond measure. You might find some rare minerals or heavenly treasures if you're lucky. The Outer Sky is harsh, but rich in resources. Many Divine Ability experts come here to mine and gather materials for refining pills. Find something rare enough, and it could be worth more than any elixir."
"What if I use my magic tools here—the Blood Cotton Robe, for instance? Will the sect notice? Maybe I should fuse my seven flying swords from the Yellow Springs Diagram into the Seven Kill Gourd—form the Seven Slaughter Sword Formation."
"In theory, they shouldn't notice. But be cautious—the sect master himself opened this realm."
"Understood."
Yan's tone darkened. "Now I see the truth behind this trial. The sect didn't open this place just for training—they're baiting the demons. The Outer Sky is endless, like an ocean, and these demons are its fish. The disciples are the bait tossed in every year. The longer this goes on, the more demons gather… just like feeding before a great catch."
Fang Han's expression grew grim. "Makes sense."
As he spoke with Yan, a flicker of movement caught his eye—a figure stumbling across the plains.
"Who's there?" he called, focusing his gaze.
To his shock, it was Fang Qingwei. Her face was pale, hair disheveled, her sword gone. She ran toward him in panic, eyes wide with terror.
"Fang Han! Help me!" she cried, her voice cracking. "The demons are chasing me! Save me, and I'll marry you—I swear I will!"
Her desperate screams echoed across the plain as she rushed closer.
"You're not being chased," Fang Han said, narrowing his eyes.
A strange smile curled across Fang Qingwei's lips.
"She's not Fang Qingwei," Yan's voice snapped in warning. "She's a demon—watch out!"
A shrill, otherworldly howl split the air. The woman's form shimmered, then blurred into a shadowy wraith that lunged toward Fang Han, her aura thick with icy malice that froze the very air.