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

When Luo Tian led his team back to the valley, the setting sun cast a warm, orange glow on the crooked wooden door of the Fang family.

Fang Yuanshan had already led his clansmen to wait outside the courtyard. Seeing that Luo Tian and his group had returned safely and were slightly tired but unharmed, his old face immediately broke into a smile. He quickly led everyone into the courtyard.

"Master, Miss Nian Nian, Miss Xiao Xiao, how did it go this time?"

Fang Yuanshan asked cautiously, but his gaze couldn't help but drift towards Xiao Jin. The terrifying dragon's might he had just felt outside the Ten Thousand Corpse Cave still haunted him.

"Successfully, that old zombie has been eliminated by the master."

Xiao Jin sat down casually on the well platform, grabbed a glass of herbal tea that someone had prepared on the stone table next to him, and took a big gulp, his dragon-like face showing a hint of satisfaction.

"He tried a few tricks before he died, but in front of his master, they were all a joke."

Luo Nannan silently walked to the pillar and leaned against it, her small hands tucked into her bosom, the metal plaque on her fingertips slightly warm, as if sensing something.

Qianqian silently disappeared into the shadows of the courtyard, expanding the area covered by the illusion to ensure that this little world was not spied on by outsiders.

Qiqi hugged the pottery jar, sat down next to Xiaoxiao, and looked around curiously with her big eyes.

Niannian walked to Luo Tian's side, looked up at him with a worried expression, and asked:

"Dad, that old zombie escaped through the ley lines before he died. Could there still be problems?"

Luo Tian stood with his hands behind his back by the well, his gaze fixed intently on the Morning Dew Sword, still suspended above the well's opening, its sword aura still chilling. Hearing this, he said calmly:

"The body may have fled, the soul may have fled, but the cause and effect cannot be escaped."

I've left my mark on that gray rune; following the earth's veins, I should be able to find something there.

He paused, then looked at Fang Yuanshan:

"Elder Fang, these next few days, have the clansmen stay within the Fang family compound and not go out."

Although the earth's veins have been cleansed, that old zombie has been running the Corpse Cave for many years, and there's no guarantee that other unclean things might still remain.

"Yes, yes! I understand! I will strictly order my clansmen not to step out of the courtyard even once!"

Fang Yuanshan nodded hurriedly, but his heart skipped a beat.

Judging from Luo Tian's words, although the zombie elder was destroyed, the hidden danger had not been eliminated, and this valley... was probably not completely peaceful yet.

Luo Tian said no more. With a flick of his sleeve, a more solid spiritual light shot into the ground, reinforcing the hundred-mile boundary.

After doing all this, he sat cross-legged back down by the well, picked up a walnut again, slowly cracked it open, chewed the kernel, but his eyes seemed to be looking into the void, as if he were reminiscing about something.

"Master, what are you thinking about?" Little Gold leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

He rarely saw Luo Tian with such an expression, which seemed to carry a faint trace of reminiscence, as well as a hint of coldness that was hard to detect.

"I'm thinking about Jin Wuming," Luo Tian said calmly.

"This game of chess is quite interesting. The zombie old man, the cave of ten thousand corpses, the cycle of reincarnation... each move is linked to the next, seemingly insidious, but in fact, it has many loopholes."

He was eager to establish his presence in the cultivation world, but was constrained by the rules of Heaven, forcing him to operate covertly and resort to these underhanded methods. This was unlike his style during his prime.

He looked up at the last rays of the setting sun on the western horizon, a sharp glint in his eyes:

"Unless... something happens to his physical body, or the power he can mobilize in the cultivation world is far less than I imagined."

This cave of ten thousand corpses might just be a decoy; the real "pawn" is elsewhere.

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

Even a peak Earth Immortal like the Zombie Elder was just a "decorative figure" in Luo Tian's words? Then how terrifying must the real opponent be?

"Daddy, what should we do?" Niannian clenched her little fists. "Should we just wait here?"

"Waiting, but it's not all about waiting." Luo Tian put down the walnuts and tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee.

"The information conveyed by that gray rune takes time. In the meantime, you can use this time to consolidate your cultivation."

Niannian, you have refined that wisp of reincarnation and obtained the karma of the Seven-Colored Illusionary Heart Orchid. You need to carefully comprehend it and not waste this opportunity.

Little One, the essence of your Life Tree has been damaged; take good care of it these next few days. Little Gold, your Dragon Clan True Fire should have improved after this battle; digest it well.

"Nannan, your senses are most acute; pay attention to the movement of that mark deep within the earth's veins. Qianqian, your illusion magic needs to be refined, in case of unforeseen circumstances."

"Yes, Master!" all the divine beasts replied in unison.

"Yes, Dad!" Niannian and Xiaoxiao nodded obediently.

For the next two days, the valley fell into a rare period of calm.

The wind still whipped up sand and gravel, but the atmosphere in the courtyard was much more peaceful.

Every day, Niannian sits cross-legged by the window, sensing the subtle resonance between the Seven-Colored Illusionary Heart Orchid and the Morning Dew Sword within her body.

The small one then focused on nurturing the essence of the divine tree, its verdant light shining ceaselessly day and night.

Little Jin lay on the roof sunbathing, his dragon might restrained, yet subtly forging true fire within him.

Nannan remained leaning against the pillar, the crimson-gold divine fire flickering in and out, monitoring the earth's veins.

Qianqian, like the most dutiful sentinel, used illusion magic to completely shroud the entire Fang family.

The Fang family members gradually adapted to this daily life with a "powerful being" in charge. Although they still felt awe, they were no longer as fearful as they had been at the beginning. Some even began to carefully plant some drought-resistant crops in the courtyard.

On the morning of the third day, just as dawn was breaking.

Luo Nannan, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

A sharp, golden-red glint flashed in those glassy eyes.

She stood up abruptly, her small hand pressed against her chest; the metal plate was so hot it almost burned her skin.

"Master..." She turned to Luo Tian, ​​her voice unusually urgent, "The ley lines... that mark... it's moved! Very quickly, southwards, very soon!"

Almost simultaneously, Qianqian's figure emerged from the shadows, her face slightly pale.

"Master, the illusion barrier in the south was forcibly impacted by an extremely cold force carrying the aura of reincarnation. Although it didn't break, the opponent was incredibly fast and shattered upon contact!"

Luo Tian abruptly stopped tapping his knee with his fingertips.

He slowly opened his eyes, and deep within them, the coldness had transformed into a tangible, chilling glint.

"As expected... he couldn't hold back." He stood up, his blue robe fluttering even without wind.

"The real 'chess piece' has finally revealed its true intentions."

It wasn't aimed at the Fang family, but... at the gray rune I left my mark on.

He wanted to destroy the evidence, or... use the runes to make a brief 'connection' with me.

He looked at Xiao Jin, his tone calm, yet carrying an undeniable determination:

"Xiao Jin, you stay here and protect Niannian and the Fang family."

If any unforeseen circumstances arise, immediately crush the communication talisman to draw upon the power of the earth's veins to defend the area; there is no need to engage in battle.

The rest of you, come with me to see this 'real game'.

"Master!" Little Gold was taken aback, wanting to say something, but seeing Luo Tian's unwavering gaze, it could only bow, "Yes! Little Gold obeys! Master, please be careful!"

"dad……"

Niannian was also somewhat worried. She could sense that the aura emanating from her father was completely different from that in the Ten Thousand Corpse Cave. It was no longer simply powerful, but carried an all-knowing indifference and... a very faint killing intent.

"It's alright."

Luo Tian reached out and gently ruffled Niannian's hair, his movements gentle but his tone resolute.

"It's just a slightly decent rat, it can't cause any trouble. You all stay here and wait for me to return."

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his sleeve, and an even more solid protective light screen descended, protecting the entire Fang family courtyard completely.

Immediately, he moved, transforming into a streak of blue light almost invisible to the naked eye, and shot off toward the southern horizon.

Luo Nannan, Xiao Xiao, Qian Qian, and Qi Qi immediately transformed into streaks of light and followed closely behind.

Xiao Jin stood in the courtyard, looking in the direction they disappeared, a complex emotion flashing in his dragon eyes.

He understood his master's intentions. The real threat had to be dealt with by his master personally, and their greatest support for him was to protect the rear.

He took a deep breath, and his dragon aura slowly subsided, yet he completely dominated the atmosphere of the entire courtyard.

He walked to the well platform, sat down like Luo Tian, ​​picked up a walnut, cracked it open, and chewed it with a crunching sound.

"A rat... daring to hop around under its master's nose, let's see how you die this time."

The wind in the valley seemed to have grown colder.

Meanwhile, a hunt for Jin Wuming's true "pawn" has quietly begun in the southern wilderness.