"The River of the Dead? Impossible! That can't be!" the White Demon Duchess gasped, her pale face twisting in disbelief. "The Yellow Springs is our sacred underworld river. Its Water of Oblivion was refined and dried up by the Great Emperor of the Yellow Springs thousands of years ago—it vanished from the mortal realm entirely. How could it appear in the hands of a mere disciple like you… Wait—no! You're—"
Her voice faltered as her eyes fixed on Yan, the colossal dragon coiled in the golden current. Fear flickered across her delicate features.
"You're not just a wyrm… you're a dragon vein! A sacred river dragon!"
Yan's laughter rumbled like thunder.
"Correct. I am the Dragon Vein of the Yellow Springs itself," he said coldly. "And you now stand within the ancient treasure—the Yellow Springs Diagram. You should know that, with your mere first-level Divine Power cultivation, escaping from here is impossible. You're a noble among the Earth Demons—you must understand what this diagram truly means."
The demoness's eyes darted uneasily across the flowing yellow waters beneath her feet. "But… how can your power be so weak? The Dragon Vein of the Yellow Springs should rival even Immortal Lords and Demon Emperors!"
"Hmph. You know nothing," Yan snorted. "I was struck down by an Immortal, leaving behind only a fragment of my soul. But even with a thousandth of my power restored, I can still suppress you with ease. And if I unleash the Water of Oblivion upon you, you'll lose all memory—your mind erased, your will gone. A walking corpse at my command."
Outside, Fang Han listened, his spiritual sense linked to the scene within. He knew the truth of it: he could bathe safely in the Water of Oblivion only because of the Nine Aperture Golden Pill within him. For anyone else, even a droplet would be fatal to their mind.
Yan's voice rolled again.
"Kneel and thank your master! From now on, you will refer to him as your lord—and yourself as his servant. Do this, and your future will be limitless. Refuse, and I'll flood your body with the Water of Oblivion and leave you a soulless husk."
He had no intention of erasing her mind—at least not yet. The duchess knew too much, and Fang Han could make use of that knowledge later.
The demoness's expression wavered—pride, fear, and fury battling behind her eyes. Then Fang Han's calm voice cut through her hesitation:
"You doubt the power of the Water of Oblivion? If it weren't real, how do you think I seized your Sonic Blade of Annihilation?"
The words struck her like lightning. She hesitated no longer.
"Your servant, Molin, greets the Emperor," she said silkily, lowering her gaze in a deceptively submissive bow. "May you rule the demonic path for a thousand ages and stand eternal through the epochs."
"Good," Fang Han replied evenly. "Once you leave this place, you will not call me 'Emperor.' You will say you are my maid—and your name shall be Fang Xiaolin. Understand?"
"Yes, my lord," she murmured.
"Wait."
Yan's sinister voice coiled through the air. A droplet of the Yellow Springs' golden water floated upward, transforming into a glowing sigil—the Charm of Oblivion. It shot forward like lightning, embedding itself in the center of Molin's forehead.
"You—!" she hissed, but too late. Exhausted from their earlier battle, she could not resist the spell.
"This," Yan said coldly, "is a Mark of Forgetfulness. It's forged from the Water of Oblivion to ensure your loyalty. You're cunning, Duchess. Were I to release you freely, you'd turn on us the moment your power returned. Now, if you harbor even a trace of betrayal, the mark will shatter—and your mind will dissolve into nothingness. You'll forget who you are, what you are, and even how to breathe. Choose wisely."
His grin was pure malice.
"Damn you…" Molin seethed, her hatred burning like wildfire. "To think I'd be reduced to serving this mortal boy! To become a so-called 'Emperor' of the Demons is near impossible—of ten thousand prodigies, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine perish halfway! Even among my race, only three Demon Emperors have ever existed! And you—you're not even in the Divine Power Realm!"
Her words dripped venom, but Fang Han ignored her. The more she raged, the more it proved she had no way out.
Moments later, when she emerged from the diagram, Red Yi gasped aloud, startled by the sudden appearance of the pale, otherworldly beauty. Crane Fairy's wings faltered midair, nearly sending them all tumbling before Nebula Baby flicked a beam of starlight, stabilizing their flight.
The duchess stood bare, her robes shredded from battle.
"Red Yi," Fang Han said quickly, "give her something to wear."
"No need," Molin replied coolly, utterly unashamed. "My castle is close. I have materials there to forge new garments. My old robe was a spiritual artifact—its core formation still intact. I'll reforge it myself."
"Don't look!" Red Yi scolded, covering Nebula Baby's eyes. "Children shouldn't see such things!"
Before long, they descended into the dark valley where Molin's fortress loomed—an ancient, towering structure of black stone. Though ominous, it was pristine, as if no dust dared to settle upon it. Its halls were empty now; the royal descendants of the White-Haired Demon Clan who once lived there were long dead.
In the grand hall, Fang Han sat upon an ornate seat as Molin returned, clothed once more—carrying a coffin-shaped chest in her arms.
With a click, the chest opened.
A flood of radiant light burst forth, shimmering with concentrated spiritual power. Inside lay countless octagonal crystals, each glowing with pure magical energy.
"Spirit Crystals," Fang Han breathed, eyes gleaming.
These were treasures of immense value—each one brimming with condensed mana. For Divine Power experts, they were lifesaving elixirs; for artifact forgers, indispensable materials. Even body cultivators relied on them for crafting talismans and empowering their artifacts. Without Spirit Crystals, no craftsman could weave mana into form.
Nebula Baby darted forward, laughing as she picked one up. "Hehe! Shiny stones! So pretty!"
Red Yi turned to Fang Han. "So… what now?"
Fang Han's eyes glinted with calm determination.
"We stay," he said. "We cultivate here. Ten days, maybe half a month. I'll use this time to break through into the Divine Power Realm. If I succeed, we'll move on to the next mine—hunt more Asura lords, seize their treasures, and gather even more Spirit Crystals. A fortune beyond reckoning."
He looked to Nebula Baby with a faint smile.
"With your Sun and Moon Five-Star Bracelet, we can temper our bodies under its starlight. Even Crane Fairy might ascend to a higher form."
It was decided.
Within the heart of the demon fortress, Fang Han would begin his closed-door cultivation—aiming for the great leap into the Divine Power Realm.