As they ventured deeper, the demonic energy within the cave grew more potent.
Xu Chuan was relatively fine; his cultivation method was unique, allowing him to endure it with relative ease.
However, Ning Youci was a different story.
For some inexplicable reason, the denser the demonic energy became, the weaker she grew, and the more energy she consumed.
Just this short distance had drained her more than all the previous battles combined.
It was clear the demonic energy exerted a massive suppressive effect on her.
Indeed, the further they went into the cave, the more feeble Ning Youci became.
Seeing this, Xu Chuan finally understood why Ning Cangtian had not sent any of the royal family or prodigies from the Ning clan into the ancient battlefield.
This rift to the demon realm must have a contingency left by the demons. Anyone with the Ning bloodline entering it would be severely drained, slowly losing their ability to move.
“Perhaps you should head out first?”
Looking at Ning Youci, who was covered in sweat, Xu Chuan felt a pang of sympathy and made a suggestion.
The cave's depth was unknown, and the faint sense of danger persisted.
If a battle were to break out later, Xu Chuan couldn't guarantee Ning Youci's safety.
“It’s fine, I can still hold on!”
Ning Youci said, trying to sound braver than she felt.
As she spoke, she lifted her leg and took a determined step forward, attempting to prove herself to Xu Chuan.
However, her moment of bravado lasted less than three seconds.
Before she could take a second step, Ning Youci, completely drained, stumbled towards the ground.
Fortunately, Xu Chuan’s reflexes were swift. He lunged forward, catching Ning Youci, preventing her from collapsing.
“You said you were fine? Look at you now.”
Xu Chuan chided her gently.
He then took out a pill that restored primordial energy from his storage ring and gave it to Ning Youci. Only then did she regain enough strength to stand again.
“Alright, listen to me. You wait here for me. I’ll be out soon!”
Xu Chuan told her with an irrefutable tone.
Having spent so much time together, he knew Ning Youci’s personality well.
Without a firm stance, she wouldn’t listen to him.
“But…”
Ning Youci still wanted to protest.
Before she could finish, Xu Chuan quickly covered her mouth, preventing her from speaking further.
“Listen to me, and stay here peacefully!”
Xu Chuan commanded again.
“This… alright…”
Finally, Ning Youci conceded, nodding in agreement.
Seeing this, Xu Chuan nodded in satisfaction.
He took out a beast skin and spread it on the ground, placing Ning Youci upon it.
Simultaneously, he retrieved several formation plates and set up multiple formations around Ning Youci.
These formation plates were spoils taken from those heavenly prodigies, each one being a top-tier item among formation plates.
The formations set up with them were so powerful that even a Tongtian realm expert would struggle to break them in a short time!
Should anyone attack the formations, Xu Chuan would be alerted.
After completing the arrangements, Xu Chuan nodded in satisfaction.
“Stay here peacefully and be safe. I’ll be back shortly!”
Before leaving, Xu Chuan couldn’t forget to remind her.
“You too!”
Ning Youci understood that in her current state, even if she forced herself to continue, she wouldn’t be of much help and might even be a liability to Xu Chuan.
“Yes, I will!”
Xu Chuan returned a smile and then headed deeper into the cave.
…
Xu Chuan walked for about an hour before the endless cave finally gave way.
He had finally reached the demon realm rift that he had only heard of but never seen.
The spatial rift looked like a scar torn across a flawless face.
It was hideous and terrifying.
An extremely formidable aura emanated from within, and endless torrents of wind howled within the rift, tearing everything apart.
Fortunately, it had been sealed. Otherwise, Xu Chuan would likely have been sucked into the rift just by standing there.
Seeing this rift, Xu Chuan finally understood everything.
The sense of crisis he had felt earlier was precisely from this demon realm rift!
Just a glance at it made Xu Chuan feel an overwhelming urge to kneel.
Xu Chuan suppressed this impulse and began to meticulously inspect the seal.
This was not a matter to be taken lightly.
If this demon realm rift were to open again, it would undoubtedly trigger another war between the two realms!
Currently, Xuan Tian had no Emperor Realm experts openly present.
If just a few first-tier Emperor Realm demons were to arrive from the demon realm, the entire Xuan Tian continent could fall under demonic rule!
The consequences were unimaginable!
With this thought in mind, Xu Chuan inspected with extreme care, not overlooking any part of the seal.
Unexpectedly, Xu Chuan did find a tiny, minuscule flaw in the seal!
This flaw was likely caused by the passage of time.
Before entering the ancient battlefield, Ning Cangtian had given him a storage ring when no one else was present.
It contained the methods and materials for repairing formations.
Clearly, this situation was not unprecedented.
The Great Wei royal family already had countermeasures in place.
These flaws might even be the work of demons from the demon realm, an attempt to subvert Xuan Tian continent.
Taking out the materials, Xu Chuan prepared to mend this flaw.
However, before starting, he decided to probe the demon realm rift.
He sent a wisp of his divine sense through the flaw. As it entered the demon realm rift, it was immediately engulfed by a terrifying void storm. Just as it was about to be torn apart, an anomaly occurred.
【Ding!】
The familiar chime of the system sounded at this moment, and Xu Chuan’s divine sense was protected by the system’s energy.
【Congratulations to the host for discovering the Heart of Space. Do you wish to collect it?】
Xu Chuan was stunned. The Heart of Space? What was that?
But since the system had prompted him to collect it, it must be something valuable.
There was no doubt about that.
Without hesitation, Xu Chuan immediately issued a command, “Collect it, collect it quickly!”
【System is collecting…】
【Congratulations to the host for successfully collecting the Heart of Space. Beginning fusion!】
【System is upgrading… Estimated time: twelve hours!】
【Please wait…】
A string of system notifications appeared before Xu Chuan’s eyes, dazzling him.
His divine sense returned to his body, and Xu Chuan was astonished to find that the demon realm rift, which had previously exerted such immense pressure on him, was now gradually collapsing.
At a speed visible to the naked eye, it disappeared completely.
The entire process took less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. The demon realm rift, which had existed on Xuan Tian continent for an unknown number of years, vanished entirely!
This meant that this ancient battlefield would no longer face the crisis of a human-demon war!
The citizens of Great Wei living above the ancient battlefield would no longer have to worry about a survival crisis!
Xu Chuan calmed his mind and began to examine the system notifications.
The disappearance of the demon realm rift was definitely related to the Heart of Space that the system had collected earlier!
And after collecting the Heart of Space, the system had upgraded!
This had never happened before!
However, a system upgrade meant more functions would be available!
“What new functions will there be?”
Xu Chuan felt a sense of anticipation.