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

Niannian slowly stood up, patted the black ash on her skirt, and when she looked up, her gaze inadvertently swept over the shadow of the dome.

"Little sister..."

She suddenly lowered her voice, and the Chaos Nine-Leaf Lotus trembled slightly within her body.

The first leaf's light flowed automatically, dispelling the subtle discomfort brought by the shadow.

"Did you see that thing clearly just now?"

Xiao Xiao was activating the Withered Tree Rejuvenation Technique to purify the last trace of corruption when she heard this, her fingertips paused, and the emerald light receded back into her palm.

She followed Niannian's gaze, her brows furrowing slightly:

"I couldn't see clearly, but I sensed a very subtle sense of probing. It wasn't a physical entity, but more like a wisp of lingering thought, or... some kind of detection-type magical artifact."

She paused, her tone grave.

"That aura is from the same source as the reincarnation aura on those gray-robed men outside the stone chamber, but it is much purer."

Luo Nannan silently walked to Niannian's side, looked up at the dome, and a hint of disgust flashed in her glass-like eyes.

With a flick of her small hand, a wisp of crimson-gold divine fire shot out, striking the shadow with pinpoint accuracy.

"Sizzle..."

The moment the divine fire came into contact with the shadow, it emitted a very faint burning sound.

The shadow contracted sharply, like a living thing that had been scalded, before vanishing completely.

It left behind only a wisp of almost invisible black smoke, exuding a faint aura of reincarnation.

"Dirty stuff."

The little girl uttered a sentence, withdrew her hand, and her face didn't show much expression, but her disdain was obvious.

"As expected of that old dog Jin Wuming!"

Little Jin, who had somehow acquired a blade of grass in his mouth, strolled over from behind, a fierce glint flashing in his dragon eyes.

"He's actually going to use a wisp of his consciousness to keep watch; it seems he's determined to get what's in this secret realm."

Qianqian landed silently in front of the group, her silver hair shimmering in the soft light of the dark blue moss.

She stared at the dissipating black smoke and whispered:

"That thing has no offensive capabilities; it is only responsible for spying and transmitting messages."

It just saw Nannan's Phoenix True Fire, and it also saw Niannian's Morning Dew Sword... The news has probably already spread.

Qiqi, holding the pottery jar, listened with a mixture of understanding and confusion, snuggling close to Xiaoxiao and whispering:

"Then...should we hurry up and leave, lest it bring more people?"

"We will leave, but now is not the time."

Niannian took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

She could sense that since entering the cave, an invisible net was tightening around her.

She gripped the Morning Dew Sword tightly; the icy touch of the hilt brought her back to her senses.

"Since that thing is just a fragment of thought, there will be a delay in communication. Let's get our hands on the earlier parts before it fully reports it."

Her gaze drifted into the depths of the cave, where the faint sound of flowing water could be heard, and the spiritual energy there was several times richer than here.

Based on the previous sensations from the metal plaque and a small exploration of the earth's spiritual energy.

That area with the densest water-based spiritual energy is very likely one of the core areas of this secret realm, and also the target that "dirty thing" is desperately protecting.

"Xiao Jin, you keep up the fight and stop yelling about taking action. This is a training ground, not a place for you to bully weaklings."

Niannian glared at Xiaojin with annoyance, and the latter shrank back sheepishly, changing the direction in which it held the grass stem.

"Nannan, stay by my side and be ready to start a fire at any time."

Little sister, be careful of the earth's spiritual energy and residual toxins.

"Sister Qianqian, strengthen our illusionary concealment! Don't let our whereabouts be easily discovered again. Qiqi, stay close to your little sister."

The division of labor was clarified again, and the team did not delay any longer, groping their way towards the denser aquatic spiritual light deep inside the cave.

The further you go, the more moisture there is in the air, and the dark blue moss under your feet is gradually replaced by a supple aquatic plant that emits a pale silver glow.

These aquatic plants sway gently as if they were alive, exuding a rich spiritual aura.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

A miniature palace constructed from crystal-clear ice marrow stands quietly in the center of a vast underground river.

The palace was not grand, but it was crystal clear and exuded a refreshing icy charm.

In front of the palace gate, a seedling, no more than three feet tall, entirely green, with iridescent rays flowing between its branches and leaves, was quietly growing at a miniature spiritual vein convergence point.

"That's... a seedling of an innate spiritual root!"

Xiao Xiao gasped in surprise, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

As the holder of the Tree of Life, she is most sensitive to this rare treasure of heaven and earth.

However, hovering around the spiritual root seedling were three fist-sized, dark-colored "water spheres" that constantly exuded foul black energy.

Inside the water sphere, one could vaguely see the distorted face of a beast soul, emanating a nauseating resentment.

Like three malignant tumors, they clung tightly to the pale blue light membrane surrounding the palace, constantly eroding its brightness.

The light membrane vibrated violently, flickering unpredictably, and the seven-colored glow of the spiritual root seedling dimmed at a visible speed.

"That's... the Three Yin Spirit-Eroding Array!"

Qianqian's pupils contracted slightly, and her clear, cold voice carried a hint of solemnity.

"Using filthy and resentful spirits as a lure, it erodes the foundation of spiritual beings."

This formation is extremely insidious; forcibly breaking it will damage one's very spiritual essence. The person who set it up has a cruel heart!

Niannian gripped the Morning Dew Sword tightly, her little face tense.

She could sense the aura of reincarnation emanating from those three water spheres.

It was more intense and more malevolent than the wisp of thought in the dome.

This was clearly a poisonous scheme specifically designed to target this innate spiritual root.

The purpose is not just to protect it, but also to slowly erode its spirituality, eventually to possess it, or... to destroy it completely.

"Those three water spheres are the key points of the formation."

Xiao Xiao quickly analyzed, "We must purify them simultaneously, or... use absolute power to annihilate them instantly, without letting the filth damage our spiritual roots."

"Let me do it."

Luo Nannan suddenly spoke, her voice still brief, but carrying an undeniable determination.

She could feel the foul air emanating from those three water spheres, which filled her with a deep-seated disgust.

With a flick of her wrist, three exquisitely refined crimson-gold flames quietly burned in her palm.

Each flame contains terrifyingly high temperatures sufficient to incinerate evil spirits.

"Darling, I'll go along with you."

Niannian took a deep breath, and the icy blue light on the Morning Dew Sword shone again, resonating with the Chaotic Nine-Leaf Lotus within her body.

"I'll lock onto the array's core with my sword energy, then you can annihilate it with true fire."

Young lady, prepare the power of wood-elemental vitality to repair the light membrane at any time and protect your spiritual root.

Sister Qianqian, use illusion magic to interfere with the vengeful spirits inside the array's core and weaken their resistance.

Xiao Jin, protect Qi Qi and those behind you.

Don't worry.

Xiao Jin was unusually serious, his dragon might was restrained, but his muscles were already tense, ready to unleash the combat power of a peak Earth Immortal at any moment.

Qiqi also kept her mouth tightly shut, her little hands clutching the pottery jar tightly, only her big eyes showing as she nervously looked ahead.

A battle to protect one's innate spiritual roots is about to erupt in this deep underground cavern.

In the distance, the dark trace scorched by Nannan's divine fire was quietly spreading deeper into the cave...