Bitter Realm: A Happy Person Traveling Across China

Pingshan, a place detached from the mundane world.

Amidst surging clouds and swirling mountain mists, this celestial mountain, suspended thousands of miles in the sky, remains as isolated as ever from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Lian Emei sat alone atop the mountain, her robes fluttering, her clear, cold eyes gazing at the vast lower realm, a lingering heaviness between her brows.

After talking with Jin Bazhen, she decided to officially enter the world to fight against the demon for the sake of the greater good.

However, she had personally experienced the power of Yama and the Drought Demon, and there was also the variable of the Mad Dragon...

Just as she was calmly pondering a strategy to defeat the enemy, her mind wandering beyond worldly concerns—

"Click..."

A faint yet crystal-clear cracking sound abruptly shattered the tranquility of Pingshan.

The sound did not come from rocks or earth, but rather seemed to be the sound of space itself being gently sliced ​​open by some invisible force.

Lian Emei suddenly raised her head, her cold gaze like lightning, shooting towards the source of the sound—the void not far ahead.

The space, which was originally as smooth as a mirror and flowed with a faint mist, suddenly appeared as if it had been struck by a heavy blow, with countless fine purple cracks appearing out of thin air!

The cracks spread and intertwined rapidly, forming a bizarre and magnificent pattern, with the center sharply sunken and twisted.

Immediately following, a leisurely and expansive poetic chant, each word brimming with profound meaning, echoed among the clouds and mountains:

"A sword hangs in the vast emptiness, a thousand sharp edges hidden; my body rests lightly in the boundless expanse. I laugh as I watch the vicissitudes of human life; why leave a trace to disturb the moon's brightness?"

As the poem ended, a loud splash was heard—

The space is like a shattered mirror, completely breaking open an irregular entrance.

A figure in white calmly stepped out from the shattered void passage, lightly touching the ground with his toes and landing on Ping Mountain without disturbing a speck of dust.

The newcomer was dressed in a magnificent white robe with gold patterns adorning the sleeves, a jade pendant at his waist, and a handsome face with a half-smile playing on his lips. It was none other than Ye Jinming.

His gaze swept across this ethereal paradise, finally settling on the aloof and solitary figure in front of him, who seemed to have ascended to heaven.

Lian Emei's gaze narrowed slightly. Although her aura did not fluctuate significantly, the surrounding clouds seemed to freeze for a moment.

She did not make a move immediately, but quietly observed this uninvited guest. It was no ordinary person who could reach Pingshan, which she had set up defenses against, in such a way.

"Hmm?" A soft exclamation, carrying with it a sense of inquiry and an invisible pressure.

Ye Jinming calmly cupped his hands, his posture elegant, and introduced himself with a smile: "Greetings, Yunren. I am Ye Jinming. I apologize for my intrusion in visiting you, and I hope you will forgive me."

"Night Embers?" Lian Emei repeated softly, a faint trace of bewilderment flashing across her cold and beautiful face.

She had long been detached from the world, living in seclusion and cultivating herself; this name was completely unfamiliar to her.

However, the fact that he was able to break through the outer restrictions of Ping Mountain silently shows that his cultivation level and methods should not be underestimated.

Then Lian Emei slowly spoke, her words direct and without any formalities, clear yet tinged with coldness: "Using a special spatial technique, you have directly intruded into my secluded cultivation place. Ye Jinming, what brings you here?"

Ye Jinming seemed to have anticipated the other party's attitude, and didn't take it to heart. He smiled slightly and explained his purpose: "I've heard that Yunren is about to enter the mortal world to fight against Yama Hanba. I am not very capable, but I am willing to do my part to lend Yunren a helping hand."

"Help me?" Lian Emei raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, a hint of arrogance and scrutiny flashing in her cool gaze. "Do you think I need it?"

His tone was calm, yet it exuded an absolute confidence that seemed to look down upon the world.

She had her own plans and confidence in dealing with Yama and Hanba, so why would she need the help of a stranger of unknown origin?

Faced with this question that implied rejection and doubt, Ye Jinming remained unmoved. Instead, he stepped forward, met Lian Emei's gaze frankly, and slowly said, "The Yun people's cultivation is profound. In terms of strength alone, they far surpass Yanmo Hanba. I have no doubt about this."

He shifted his tone slightly, adding a deeper meaning: "But the Yama Drought Demon has a unique demonic body and tenacious vitality. If the battle is dragged into a protracted and exhausting struggle, can the Yun people be absolutely certain that they can achieve victory in one battle?"

"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in Lian Emei's eyes, which were as calm as a deep pool!

It wasn't because her secrets had been revealed, but rather the almost "instructive" tone in the other person's words, and the questioning of her abilities, that touched upon her pride as a top expert.

An invisible, immense pressure erupted from her body with a sudden thought!

In an instant, the clouds within a ten-zhang radius of Lian Emei surged and condensed wildly, and a powerful energy, as solid as a tsunami, swept towards Ye Jinming!

Faced with this sudden test, or rather warning, Ye Jinming's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but he showed no fear whatsoever.

He did not dodge, but casually pushed forward with his right hand, a layer of warm, jade-like white light emanating from his palm, drawing a semi-circle in front of him.

"Buzz..."

The terrifying energy that surged forth vanished the moment it touched the white light, like a mud ox sinking into the sea or a raging wave crashing against an invisible embankment. All the impact, pressure, and destructive force were quietly dissipated, guided away, and eliminated by a gentle yet incredibly resilient power.

Ye Jinming stood as steady as a mountain, not even the hem of his clothes fluttered, only the surrounding air resonated with a low murmur.

Subtly deflecting the casual release of Qi from Lian Emei, Ye Jinming continued speaking unhurriedly, as if the previous conflict were merely a gentle breeze: "Yunren, please don't be hasty. I am by no means questioning your abilities. What I said just now was merely stating a possibility. And the reason I came here is precisely to fill this possibility and increase our chances of victory."

He suppressed his smile, his expression turning serious: "The strength of the Yama Drought Demon lies in its near-immortal demonic body and its rapid regeneration ability. Ordinary attacks, even if they can wound its skin, cannot damage its foundation; it can recover completely in the blink of an eye."

Lian Emei coldly replied, "I know this better than you do."

She had fought against Yama, the Drought Demon, and naturally knew how troublesome he was.

"That's the key point." Ye Jinming smiled mysteriously, his eyes gleaming with a knowing light. "Although Yama Hanba appears to be immortal, its former fatal weakness—its demonic heart—while now carefully protected, remains its Achilles' heel!"

"I understand that too!" Lian Emei remained calm.

Ye Jinming remained unhurried: "To break through its impenetrable defenses and strike directly at the demon's heart, there are only two paths. First, we can use absolute power to forcibly blast through all defenses, but this method is too resource-intensive and unpredictable. The second is to skillfully utilize the Holy Halberd Divine Sigh and the Divine Blade Heavenly Weep, forged primarily from Heavenly Mystery Stone, to combine their power and pierce the demon's heart!"

Lian Emei listened quietly, but a subtle ripple had already stirred in the depths of her cool eyes.

She stared at Ye Jinming with a gaze as sharp as a sword, as if trying to pierce through his appearance and see into his heart.

She was indeed pondering ways to deal with Yama, the drought demon, and even had a vague idea, searching for suitable candidates and divine weapons.

But she had never shared this plan with anyone. Yet this mysterious young man before her could so clearly and accurately reveal the key to the problem, even pointing out the specific weapons and solutions!

This insight, this understanding of the weaknesses of Yama and the drought demon, and this scheming ability that seems to foresee the future...

It's definitely not simple!

After a long silence, Lian Emei slowly spoke, her voice still cold, but less chilling than before, and more inquisitive: "It seems... you know far more than you say."

Upon hearing this, Ye Jinming's face regained its relaxed smile, as if what they had just discussed was not a grand plan to slay demons concerning the survival of the Bitter Realm, but merely an amusing anecdote.

He shrugged, his tone playful yet meaningful: "You flatter me, Mr. Yun. As for me, I only happen to know... just a tiny bit."

However, Lian Emei abruptly changed her tune, saying, "While what you say makes a lot of sense, I don't need to cooperate with Yama Hanba!"

Knowing that Lian Emei definitely wanted to eliminate him by herself to reduce unnecessary casualties, Ye Jinming did not continue to persuade Lian Emei to agree to join forces.

"In that case, please take note, Yunren!"