Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Iron Wing Demon General's heart stirred. Kun Feng's expression had been strange just now, and now he seemed to be under the influence of alcohol, speaking strangely. Could it be that there was another secret about him?

This jar of spirit wine was indeed extremely mellow; I had only drunk a few cups and was already slightly tipsy. It wouldn't be impossible for Kunfeng to have said something inappropriate while drunk...

Unlike cultivators in the Spirit Realm, the demons of the Burning Demon Realm enjoy drinking spirit wine and always serve it to their guests. The more mellow the spirit wine they serve, the more prestigious they are.

The spiritual wine is extremely rich in spiritual energy. Even a demon general would become intoxicated by it and would need to meditate and regulate his breathing to neutralize the effects.

As the Iron-Winged Demon General's thoughts raced, he grabbed the wine jar, filled his cup, and drank it all in one gulp.

The two drank heartily and chatted merrily, the tense atmosphere from their fight completely dissipated.

Ironwing Demon General subtly probed why Chen Yuan wanted to travel to the Heavenly Skeleton Continent, but Chen Yuan remained silent, only revealing a hint of difficulty on his face and giving vague answers.

Ironwing Demon General had no choice but to give up, and many guesses arose in his mind, but he dared not be sure.

He then tentatively asked, "Brother Kun, when do you plan to finish your travels and return to your clan?"

Chen Yuan paused, his right hand holding the wine cup slightly darkening, and said calmly, "I'm afraid I won't be returning to the clan for the time being."

Upon hearing this, the Iron-Winged Demon General had even more guesses in his mind. He raised his wine cup and toasted Chen Yuan, saying, "Brother Kun, please!"

Several hours later, the two had finished three jars of spirit wine. Iron Wing Demon General was slightly drunk and laughed heartily, "Today, Brother Kun and I became acquainted through a fight. I am honored to be treated to such fine spirit wine by Brother Kun. I will naturally return the favor."

"The Iron Wing Cave is not far from here, only about 400,000 li away."

"Brother Kun, if you don't mind the simplicity of your cave dwelling, you might as well come back with me and let me do my part as your host."

Chen Yuan's face was slightly flushed at this moment, and upon hearing this, he showed a hint of hesitation: "I still want to travel the Heavenly Skeleton Continent..."

Iron-Winged Demon General said solemnly, "Because of the slander of two level-seven demon beasts, I rashly attacked Brother Kun. However, Brother Kun treated me with courtesy. I owe Brother Kun a favor, which I must repay."

"However, Brother Kun is born into a holy family, far surpassing me. I have no way to repay you, so I can only do my best. I hope Brother Kun will grant my request."

As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Chen Yuan, appearing extremely sincere.

Chen Yuan hesitated for a moment, seemingly feeling that he could not refuse such hospitality, and nodded slightly: "I have been resting here for several months and originally intended to leave, but Brother Tie's escape technique seems to be quite extraordinary, which has piqued my interest."

"Now that Brother Tie has extended an invitation, I cannot refuse, so I will have to trouble you."

Iron-Winged Demon General straightened up, his smile growing even wider: "Brother Kun, you flatter me. This place is remote and desolate. It is my good fortune to meet you today. I would like to ask you for some advice on escape techniques. Please!"

The two left the cave, with Iron-Winged Demon General leading the way. With a burst of light, they took to the air and headed straight for Iron-Winged Demon General's cave.

The two did not stop along the way, and after flying for more than 400,000 miles, they arrived at a vast and majestic mountain range.

Chen Yuan swept his divine sense across the entire mountain range, which stretched for about a thousand miles. Amidst the towering peaks, giant iron-gray eagles, each several meters in size, flapped their wings and soared back and forth, their sharp cries echoing through the sky.

On the edge of the mountain range, there are also some other kinds of monsters roaming through the forest.

Several human cultivators with somewhat dull expressions swept across the sky, while a human slave ran along the stone steps of the mountain path.

They always wore the same gentle smiles on their faces, remaining silent like puppets.

This is clearly the location of the Ironwing Cave, which is also the ancestral home of the Iron Eagle Clan.

What surprised Chen Yuan was that the entire mountain range was not covered by an array. Only a few peaks deep in the mountain range were protected by an array. Wasn't he afraid of being attacked suddenly?
He was puzzled, and suddenly remembered the "undeclared war" that Ironwing Demon General had mentioned many times. Then, thinking about the memories of the burly man and the Crimson Blood Demon General, a guess emerged in his mind.

The burly man had fought against other demon generals several times, and he always issued a challenge first before setting up his battle formation and fighting fair and square.

Could it be that the battles between demon generals are also like this?

Chen Yuan showed no change in expression and followed Iron Wing Demon General, flying deeper into the mountains.

With no array obstructing his view, Chen Yuan's divine sense moved freely throughout the entire mountain range, and with just a sweep, he saw more than thirty demon generals.

This doesn't even include the caves shrouded in formations, which are distributed from the edge of the mountain range all the way to its deepest part, making it impossible to ascertain the cultivation level of the demons within.

Below the mountain range lies a large spiritual vein in the human realm, where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is far richer than that of the stone mountain cave. However, in the Burning Demon Realm, it can only be called a small spiritual vein.

Chen Yuan was secretly alarmed. When he was chatting with the Iron-Winged Demon General in the Stone Mountain Cave, the Iron-Winged Demon General had mentioned the more than one million miles of territory he ruled.

He claimed that he had a hundred demon generals under his command, who were assigned to various regions, and another hundred demon generals in his Iron Wing Cave were on standby at any time, making him one of the best among the surrounding demon generals.

His words may be an exaggeration, but even if we reduce it by 30%, he still has 150 to 160 demon generals under his command, which is equivalent to the full strength of four or five royal families in the Myriad Demon Continent.

The Thunder Mountain Demon King had dozens of demon generals serving under him, scattered across his vast territory spanning hundreds of millions of miles.

The power wielded by this mere Void Refining Demon King was enough to easily sweep across the human realm and the Myriad Demon Continent. Even the human realm at its peak in ancient times was far inferior to it.

How many demon kings and demon saints are under the command of the legendary Bloodtooth Demon Saint, and even the Mountain Moving Great Saint who stands at the top of the Burning Demon Realm?
The Mountain-Moving Great Sage is only one of the thirty Great Sages of the Burning Demon Realm. The combined strength of all the demons in the Burning Demon Realm is as vast as the sea and unfathomable.

The powerful Demon Realm is merely one of several demon realms that are at war with the Spirit Realm. One can only wonder just how powerful the Spirit Realm truly is.

As Chen Yuan's thoughts raced, the two of them arrived at the deepest part of the Cangmang Mountains, at the top of a mountain peak over two thousand feet high.

The two flew at great heights throughout the journey without being disturbed in any way.

None of the giant eagles soaring in the mountains fly over the sea of ​​clouds; at most, they traverse through the clouds.

Meanwhile, high above the Burning Demon Realm, there was no fierce wind and the sky remained clear.

The two descended from the mountaintop, their escape light illuminating the vast, swirling sea of ​​clouds halfway up the mountain, a scene of tranquil peace.

The mountaintop is several acres in size, half of which is steep and rugged, while the other half is flat and open, even somewhat abrupt, as if it had been forcibly shaved off.

On the steep cliff several meters high in the middle, two wide stone doors were tightly closed, and four Core Formation stage human slaves stood on both sides, with their hands at their sides and their expressions respectful.

A stone tablet stands in front of the gate, with the four large characters "Iron Wing Cave Mansion" written in a vigorous and sharp style.

Upon seeing the Iron-Winged Demon Commander, the four slaves immediately bowed and said in unison, "Greetings, Commander!"

Iron-Winged Demon General ignored him, turned to look at Chen Yuan, raised his hand and smiled, "This is where I cultivate. I only bring old friends and acquaintances here when they come to visit."

"However, I feel an instant connection with Brother Kun, so I cannot be rude. Please come inside and have a chat, and we can enjoy some drinks together."

Chen Yuan glanced at the four slaves, his expression unchanged, and nodded with a smile.

With a flick of his sleeve, the Iron-Winged Demon General caused the stone door of the cave to slowly open, and the two stepped inside.

The cave is a completely different world inside, with smooth stone walls on both sides, inlaid with brass candlesticks, and the lights are always on.

The top is inlaid with luminous pearls the size of longan fruits, which cast a soft and pure light. Although not as bright as larger luminous pearls, it is just right when combined with the candles on both sides.

After passing through a downward-sloping passage, the two arrived at a spacious stone hall, with exquisite and ingenious furnishings all around.

A thick, soft carpet was laid on the ground, woven from the fur of some kind of monster. It was dense, smooth, and exceptionally comfortable to walk on.

On the surrounding stone walls are several tightly closed stone doors, their destinations unknown.

Just as Iron-Winged Demon General led Chen Yuan to sit at a square table, one of the stone doors slowly opened. Four human women gracefully stepped out, each with a unique beauty, some plump and some slender. They wore light gauze dresses, their fair skin faintly visible, adding to their allure.

The only drawback was that, like the four Core Formation stage human slaves outside, they all had somewhat wooden expressions.

The gentle smile on her face also seemed somewhat stiff.

It was clear that a restriction had already been placed on his soul, and his intelligence had been damaged.

The four beautiful women approached the two men, bowed gracefully, and said softly, "This servant greets the Commander and this Demon Commander."

Iron Wing Demon General laughed heartily, looking quite smug: "When I participated in the war between the two realms in the past, I spent a lot of time capturing more than a dozen Core Formation female cultivators from the Spirit Realm on the battlefield."

"After taking them in as servants, I nurtured them with great care, using up a lot of elixirs and spiritual materials, but unfortunately only these four have formed their Nascent Souls."

"The restrictions on their souls have been in place for too long, damaging their intelligence and making it difficult for them to increase their cultivation."

"Brother Kun, take whichever one you fancy and serve it to relieve your boredom."

As soon as he finished speaking, the four human women's expressions did not change in the slightest. They remained as gentle as ever, their eyes sparkling with a thousand charms as they looked at Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan's gaze slowly swept over the four women, and he smiled slightly, "What if I, Kun, take a liking to them all?"

Iron-Winged Demon General was taken aback, then laughed even more heartily: "Brother Kun, if you're interested, you may take them all!"

"In 638 years, the next war between the two realms will begin. I will capture a few more female cultivators from the Spirit Realm."

Chen Yuan's eyes narrowed, and he withdrew his gaze, laughing, "I was just joking. Brother Tie has gone to great lengths to acquire these four beautiful maids. How could I possibly take what belongs to someone else?"

Iron-Winged Demon General insisted, "They are just a few maids, which I can certainly offer. Brother Kun, please do not refuse."

Seeing this, Chen Yuan had no choice but to randomly select a maid and said with a smile, "This girl is very good."

Without Ironwing Demon General's command, the maid chosen by Chen Yuan slowly walked up to him, gave a graceful bow, and said softly, "I am extremely fortunate to have the favor of the Demon General."

With this bow, her exquisite figure was revealed without a doubt. The thin gauze dress could not completely cover her round and flawless curves, making people's blood boil.

Chen Yuan laughed heartily, extremely cheerful, and reached out to pull the maid, who was in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, into his arms, wantonly kneading her voluptuous body.

The maidservant, like a puddle of water, softly collapsed into Chen Yuan's arms, who was about ten feet tall. Her petite figure resembled a docile kitten, and she let out a soft panting sound, exuding a captivating charm.

Iron-Winged Demon General also burst into laughter, casually pulling a maid into his arms and groping her all over.

With a gentle wave of his other hand, a wine jar and two jade cups appeared out of thin air on the table.

The remaining two maids came to the two men's side on their own initiative, their faces smiling, and they picked up the wine jars and filled them with spirit wine.

Chen Yuan smiled broadly, but his mind was unusually calm. A wisp of Zhu Yan True Fire quietly entered the soul space of the woman in his arms.

But the next moment, he sighed inwardly and withdrew the wisp of Zhu Yan True Fire.

The soul restriction within the woman's body had been in place for at least three hundred years.

This is not like the Blood Silk Gu, which uses Gu worms to control life; the Zhu Yan True Fire can easily wipe it out.

The soul restriction had completely merged with the woman's soul, and even the Iron-Winged Demon General himself could not break it.

It seems that planting a spy next to the Iron-Winged Demon General is not so easy...

Chen Yuan abandoned his thoughts, one hand roaming over the woman in his arms, the other picking up the wine cup in front of him.

In the memories of the burly man and the Crimson Blood Demon General, the demons of the Burning Demon Realm were extremely fond of having sexual relations with female human cultivators.

The fact that the Iron-Winged Demon General treated him with a Nascent Soul maid shows how much he valued him. If he didn't respond politely, it would only arouse the Iron-Winged Demon General's suspicion.

Demons primarily cultivate their physical bodies, possessing abundant blood and vital essence. With beautiful human maids before them, how could they remain unmoved?

Iron-Winged Demon General laughed, "Brother Kun, please. This jar of Wind Spirit Wine is only a little over 1,400 years old, far inferior to the spirit wine in your hand, but the spirit herbs used are slightly better. Drinking it feels like a gust of wind is flowing through you, and it has some effect on tempering the body..."

The two chatted and laughed, drinking heartily. Chen Yuan drank one cup after another, and in less than an hour, the entire jar of spirit wine was finished, with most of it ending up in Chen Yuan's stomach.

He put down his wine cup, his face flushed and his eyes slightly unfocused. He released the maidservant in his arms, whose face was flushed and who was limp as mud. He clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "I am not a good drinker. I need to take a breath and cleanse myself of the spirit wine in my stomach. Farewell."

After saying that, he got up and walked out of the cave.

Iron-Winged Demon General hurriedly got up and chased after him: "Brother Kun, please wait. I will lead you to your cave. Please take this beautiful maid with you to serve you..."

Chen Yuan paused, turned around, and put his arm around the unsteady maid. He then followed Iron Wing Demon General out of the cave.

The two rode on their escape light, flying a hundred miles before landing and arriving at a cave dwelling halfway up a thousand-foot-high peak.

There was a Foundation Establishment stage human slave guarding the place. Upon seeing the Iron-Winged Demon Commander, he immediately bowed respectfully and stepped aside.

Iron-Winged Demon General laughed and said, "Although this cave is a bit simple, the spiritual energy is quite rich. I hope Brother Kun will not find it offensive."

Chen Yuan waved his hand: "It's alright."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Foundation Establishment stage human slave on duty stepped forward: "Demon General, this is the array plate that controls the cave's formation..."

He took out an array plate, gave a brief explanation, and handed it over with both hands.

Chen Yuan grabbed it, casually pointed at it, and the array plate hummed. The array curtain outside the cave slowly dissipated, the stone door opened, and he stepped inside.

As the Iron-Winged Demon General watched the stone gate slowly close, a smile appeared on his lips. He whispered to the Foundation Establishment stage human slave beside him, "Serve him carefully and do not be negligent in the slightest."

The Foundation Establishment stage slave respectfully replied, "Yes!"

The Iron-Winged Demon General then left satisfied. The Foundation Establishment stage human slave silently retreated a few steps and stood beside the stone gate, his figure motionless, like a quiet stone sculpture.

Inside the cave, Chen Yuan spread his divine sense and saw the Iron-Winged Demon General leave, a glimmer of clarity flashing in his eyes.

He whispered to the maid to go to another stone chamber, while he himself went into the cultivation room, closed the stone door, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes slightly, meditated and regulated his breathing to neutralize the spiritual wine.

Two hours later, Chen Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, took out the array plate, dispelled the array, and slowly walked out of the cave.

The Foundation Establishment stage human slave stepped forward and respectfully asked, "What are your orders, Demon Commander?"

Chen Yuan said calmly, "I wish to explore the surrounding area; you need not follow me."

The Foundation Establishment cultivator immediately agreed: "Your humble servant obeys."

Chen Yuan rode his escape light, soaring into the sky at a height of ten thousand feet, and flew for two thousand miles beyond the mountains before finally stopping on the top of a desolate mountain.

The night was deep. Chen Yuan looked up and saw stars twinkling all over the sky, like grains of sand emitting a hazy glow. The sky was boundless and much larger than it had been in the human realm and the Demon Continent.

It has been exactly one year since the last starlight infusion (Note).

He exhaled softly, flipped his hand to take out the jade pendant, and placed it beneath the starry sky. (End of Chapter)