The Demon King is back, leading adorable kids on an adventure around the world!

Niannian raised her hand to stop the group; three demonic beasts were squatting on the gravel ground.

It looked like a hybrid of a lion and a lizard, with gray-black scales covering its entire body and four dark red vertical pupils focused on the crowd.

Their auras were deep and heavy, each one at the early stage of the Integration Realm, their spiritual power like three giant rocks pressing down on this narrow valley.

They didn't move; they just squatted there waiting, their tails slowly sweeping along the ground.

Nian Nian whispered, "Kill!"

With the Taiyi Sword drawn, he transformed into a streak of silver-white light and shot out.

The three demonic beasts rose up at the same time, with the middle one facing Nian Nian head-on, its claws sweeping through the air like knives.

Niannian dodged to the side, the blade slicing past her claws, sparks flying.

Ye Qianxue blocked the left end, and the moment the Ice Soul Sword was drawn, the cold air condensed into frost flowers.

The beast's claws clashed with the sword blade, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound. Frost spread upwards from the claw tips, only to be shattered by the beast's head-shaking motion.

The one on the right was covered by Li Mengmeng's sword formation, and eighty-one spirit swords spewed out from the sword-nurturing gourd.

The light shield, arranged in the air like a water curtain, trapped the demonic beast in the middle. The spirit swords crisscrossed and cut, leaving white marks on the scales.

Xiao Jin transformed into a half-dragon, with golden scales spreading from his arms to his shoulders and back. With a sweep of his dragon tail, he struck the hind leg of the monster on his left.

The beast cried out in pain and shifted its body to the side. Ye Qianxue seized the opportunity and thrust her sword into the crevice in its side abdomen.

The blade sank half an inch before being clamped by the muscle. She pulled the sword back with force, and only a layer of dark blood seeped from the wound. The beast's counterattack came extremely quickly, and its sharp claws struck her face.

"Retreat!" Nian Nian shouted from the middle, using her backhand sword to force back the demonic beast in front of her. She then turned sharply, slashing a sword aura to the side.

The beast's attack was interrupted when its front leg was struck by the sword energy, and Ye Qianxue took the opportunity to retreat two steps and regain her footing.

Xiao Xiao stood at the back, her hands clasped together, and emerald green light flowed from between her fingers, like vines wrapping around Nian Nian's sword, or like a stream flowing into her limbs and bones.

Nian Nian's aura suddenly rose a notch, and the tip of the Taiyi Sword shone with a dazzling silver light.

She leaped into the air, flipped her body in mid-air, and pointed her sword tip directly at the jaw of the monster in the middle.

The sword light fell like a meteor, piercing through the gaps in the scales, entering from the lower jaw and exiting from the top of the head.

The monster froze on the spot, its pupils dilated, and then it collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The remaining two beasts had lost their rhythm. Qianqian spread out her illusion, and the silvery-white halo rippled across the valley, causing both beasts to slow down by half a beat.

Without pausing after landing, Nian Nian turned around and slashed her second sword at the neck of the monster on the left. At the same time, Ye Qianxue drew her sword to block its retreat. Frost froze the ground, and its claws were frozen for a moment.

In that instant, the tip of Nian Nian's sword arrived, its light piercing her throat.

The third demon beast took a step back, but Li Mengmeng's sword formation had already closed in from both sides, and eighty-one spirit swords fell like a torrential rain, weaving into an impenetrable net around it.

Nian Nian pierced the top of the head with a sword from above, the sword light penetrating the skull and emerging from the jaw.

The three-headed combined demonic beasts all fell down in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

After landing, Niannian was slightly out of breath, the tip of her sword touching the ground, and beads of sweat sliding down her forehead.

Xiao Xiao withdrew the green light, squatted on the rock next to her, closed her eyes and regulated her breathing, a faint green warmth still lingering in her palms.

As the group ventured deeper, the stone walls on both sides of the valley narrowed further, and the gray light overhead was squeezed into a thin crack, through which light leaked down, drawing a line between light and shadow on the ground.

More and more demonic beasts emerged from the shadows in droves, some crawling out from cracks in the side walls of the rock, others swooping down from the crevices above. Their cultivation levels ranged from the early stage of the Void Refinement Realm to the mid-stage of the Body Integration Realm.

Xiao Jin fully transformed into a dragon. Its hundred-foot-long golden scales still shone brightly in the dim light. Its dragon tail swept across and its dragon claws swung, each attack carrying the oppressive power of a dragon.

Under the dragon's might, the demonic beasts moved a fraction slower and their power was also suppressed.

Ye Qianxue and Li Mengmeng stood on the left and right, respectively. The cold air from the Ice Soul Sword condensed into an ice wall, and Li Mengmeng's sword formation flowed like a water curtain, protecting the weakest students in the team.

Luo Qiqi pressed her palms to the ground, and a yellowish-brown light exploded from the ground, causing stone walls to rise from the ground to block the oncoming beast tide.

Qianqian's illusion continued to unfold, and the silvery-white halo covered the battlefield like a thin veil, causing the monsters to react with a constant delay.

Nian Nian rushed to the front, the Taiyi Sword flashing silver light, and a demon beast fell down wherever he passed.

Xiao Xiao followed not far behind her, the green light constantly falling on Niannian, each time allowing her to unleash even greater power in the next sword strike.

The beast tide continued to surge for more than half an hour. Finally, the last beast, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was slashed from the side by Nian Nian. The blade pierced through its chest and abdomen, and through its heart, before it finally fell.

The entire valley fell silent, with only heavy breathing and the distant sound of dripping water echoing through it.

Luo Qiqi sat on the ground, panting, her slender fingertips still trembling slightly. Ye Qianxue and Li Mengmeng simultaneously sheathed their swords and exchanged a glance, but said nothing.

Xiao Xiao leaned against the stone wall, her face a little pale, but she still insisted on standing and did not sit down.

"There's light ahead." Qianqian looked into the depths of the valley.

Everyone followed her gaze and saw a warm light shining from the end of the valley.

After the group passed through the last stretch of valley, the view suddenly opened up before them.

A huge cave appeared before us, with an extremely high dome, like a mountain that had been hollowed out.

Warm light emanated from the deepest part of the cave, carrying a scorching temperature and filling the entire cave.

The air was dry and slightly hot, and the ground was cracked with irregular patterns, as if it had been baked by high temperatures for many years.

Deep within the cave, on a protruding rock, lies a phoenix.

It was very large, and its outstretched wings covered the rock. The color of its feathers had become very dull; what should have been a blend of crimson and gold was now just a withered, grayish hue.

Several feathers on the wings were broken and charred, with traces of lingering smoke still visible at the edges.

Its eyes were half-closed, its breathing was shallow and slow, and its golden pupils were veiled in a layer of gray.

Xiao Xiao quickly walked through the cave and squatted down in front of the phoenix.

She reached out and gently touched the base of its feathers, her fingers tightening slightly, then looked up at Niannian:

"It's dying. Its soul and essence are exhausted. Ordinary medicine can't save it."

Phoenix struggled to open its eyes, its golden pupils reflecting the small face so close to its face.

Its voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping against rock.

"I come from the Immortal Realm... I was being hunted down by the people of the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor... I tore through the interface to escape, and I have no strength left."

Niannian squatted down and looked at Phoenix: "What is needed to cure it?"

After a brief silence, she said:

"I can cure it, but it will take my life force."

Niannian's eyes darkened: "No, let's try another way."

"It won't last more than three days." Xiaoxiao looked at Niannian. "If I don't try, it will die."

Niannian and Xiaoxiao stared at each other for a long time. The cave was very quiet, with only the warm light flickering slowly.

Niannian released her hand from the Taiyi Sword: "Then be gentle."

Xiao Xiao placed both hands on the phoenix's body and closed her eyes.

Green light emanated from her palm, like a mountain spring breaking through frozen soil, slowly seeping into the phoenix's body.

The light grew stronger and stronger, enveloping the phoenix's chest, the base of its wings, and its broken feathers.

Phoenix's breathing suddenly quickened, its golden pupils widened slightly, and then closed again.

Her small face quickly lost its color, her lips turned from light pink to pale, and beads of sweat dripped from her forehead, seeping into the cracked ground beneath her feet.

Her body swayed slightly, but her hands did not leave, and the light did not stop.

Niannian squatted down beside her, watching, her nails digging into her palms, but she didn't make a sound.

Luo Qiqi stood behind Xiaoxiao, her eyes red, but she didn't go forward to interrupt.

Qianqian stood further away, her silvery-white pupils reflecting the green light, very quiet.

The phoenix's charred black feathers began to fall off, one after another, like autumn leaves falling to the ground.

Beneath the old feathers, new feather roots gleam with a crimson sheen, layer upon layer covering the feathers, from the wings to the chest and abdomen to the tail, the entire feather slowly regenerating.

Her small lips were completely bloodless, and her body was swaying, but she bit her lip and didn't stop.

Niannian took half a step forward, her hand already outstretched, almost touching Xiaoxiao's shoulder.

The phoenix suddenly opened its eyes, its golden pupils like two flames rekindled.

It raised its forelimbs, tilted its head back, and let out a low, long, clear cry. The sound waves echoed in the cave, causing dust to fall from the ceiling.

All the old feathers fell off in that instant, and the newly grown crimson-gold feathers unfurled in the warm light, each one with a luster like that of a newborn.

The little hand finally loosened, and she sat there without moving, sweat dripping from her forehead and down her chin.

The phoenix slowly raised itself, spread its wings, and its feathers shone brightly in the warm light, as if burning. Something was shimmering in its eye sockets.

It looked down at Xiaoxiao, its voice now clear and melodious: "I can acknowledge you as my master, sign a master-servant contract, and pledge my loyalty for eternity."

Xiao Xiao raised her head, her face still pale, but she smiled and said, "No need, we don't sign master-servant contracts."

"If you want to come with us, then follow us. If you wish to return to the Celestial Realm or go elsewhere, you may fly away."

The phoenix was stunned, its golden pupils staring at the small, pale face for a long time, while only warm light flickered in the cave.

Then it folded its wings, lowered its head, and gently rested its forehead on its small shoulders, heavier than any vow.

……