Dangers lurked everywhere within the forest.
The blood stench of this place would definitely attract even stronger demon beasts!
They would only be stuck in danger if they were caught up with the other demon beasts.
Right now, they were only spirit demons.
They were nothing much in the eight demon regions and were at the bottom of the food chain within the entire demon world!
No matter how many trump cards Su Zimo had and how strong he was, he could not defeat mid-level fiend demons.
Furthermore, he had to try his best to conceal his means from the immortal, Buddhist and fiend sects within the demon regions.
If he exposed his identity as a human cultivator, he would be an outcast within the entire Thousand Demon Valley, let alone Howling Moon Mountain!
Su Zimo brought monkey and the others and fought out of the encirclement. They decided on a rough direction and sprinted all the way east to seek shelter.
Before daybreak, Su Zimo lost all the spirit demons that were hot on their tails and found another secluded cave.
He scanned the vicinity carefully and entered after ensuring that there were no spirit demons watching them.
The cave was connected to the front and the back of the mountain and Su Zimo checked out its interior before nodding to himself – he decided to hide here temporarily and prepare for their breakthroughs!
Right now, the most pressing matter for them was to break through from the Core Formation realm and cultivate their Essence Spirits!
For all five of them, an advancement to the next realm would increase their combat strength by leaps!
Each of them obtained treasures from the ancient battlefield that could be used after they became fiend demons.
“Take a rest first and compose yourself. Make sure you are calm mentally,”
Su Zimo could see fatigue on the faces of monkey and the other three. He reminded them before turning to leave.
He started setting up formations on both ends of the cave.
Around 6 hours later, right when he had just set up the formations at the entrance of the cave, Su Zimo felt something amiss.
More spirit demons were starting to gather in the vicinity!
Furthermore, the number of them gathered increased!
Su Zimo could tell that the spirit demons were here for them!
They were exposed again!
How could that be?
He stood within the cave with a dark gaze, glaring at the beast eyes that appeared within the depths of the forest from time to time through a formation between them.
Previously, it was two protectors of Howling Moon Mountain.
Who was it this time round?
After a moment of silence, Su Zimo turned to wake monkey and the other three who were recuperating. “If I’m not wrong, we’ve been discovered by the demon beasts of Howling Moon Mountain again!”
“We’ll go and kill them off again!” The spirit tiger waved his fist with confidence.
However, this time round, the prideful monkey said nothing.
Su Zimo continued, “The demon beasts sent by Howling Moon Mountain are only going to get stronger. I won’t even be surprised if the Howling Moon Territorial Lord came personally this time round!”
“What should we do?” Little Fox had a worried expression.
“We’ll leave here and continue on!” Su Zimo replied.
“Alright!”
Monkey and the others nodded and followed Su Zimo to leave from the back of the cave.
They were on jitters throughout the entire journey.
It was no wonder why the Thousand Demon Valley was one of the eight demon regions.
During this period of time, they came across three mid-level fiend demons. Thankfully, Su Zimo’s spirit perception alerted them to it so that they could avoid the mid-level fiend demons.
Even Su Zimo felt shudders when he sensed the aura emanated by a bird that flew above them!
The aura of the bird resembled the old immortal crane and it was probably not a mid-level fiend demon.
There was a high chance that it was a high-level fiend demon and an Overlord!
There was naturally no way they could hide their tracks from the bird.
However, the bird merely glanced at the five of them indifferently.
As though it could not be bothered because their cultivation realms were too low, the bird did not stop and just flew over them.
They could come across similar situations at any moment!
In other words, the five of them had to take on the risk of being devoured by stronger demon beasts at any moment if they wanted to cross the demon region!
Before long, Su Zimo located yet another ideal spot for hiding.
A cave was hidden behind a waterfall and it was extremely spacious within. Although the running sound of the waterfall could be heard, that could be resolved easily with a sound barrier formation at the entrance of the cave.
Su Zimo felt relieved when he entered the place with monkey and the others.
After another 6 hours, just as Su Zimo was halfway through with his array formation setups at the cave entrance, his ears twitched and he listened intently.
A moment later, he rose with a cold glint in his eyes.
They were discovered again!
Demons had caught up to them here!
Su Zimo recounted carefully through his mind and was certain that they were not followed the entire time.
There were no spirit demons that caught sight of them in the vicinity as well.
Yet, how were they exposed once again?
What went wrong?
Signs of exhaustion could already be seen on monkey, the spirit tiger, Qing Qing and Little Fox’s faces.
They had not rested the entire time after they left the ancient battlefield and were tired from running for their lives.
If this continued on, monkey and the others wouldn’t be able to hang on even if Su Zimo could.
Su Zimo frowned with a dark expression.
They no longer had any place to hide!
They were in a predicament the moment they entered the Thousand Demon Valley and the situation was worse than he had imagined!
Did they really have to fight with their lives?
Suddenly, Su Zimo’s heart skipped a beat and he spun around furiously to glare at the ground not far away. His muscles tensed up and he was ready to strike at any moment!
Although monkey and the others could not sense it, he could vaguely sense vibrations deep underground.
Somebody was here!
“Mmm?”
Something was not right!
Su Zimo focused his gaze and sensed carefully with an odd look in his eyes.
Before long, a tiny mud bump popped up on the ground.
Immediately after, the mound opened up and a shifty head with sleazy, tiny eyes popped out and scanned the place in a furtive manner.
The pair of eyes roved onto Su Zimo’s body and froze.
Their eyes met.
“Indeed, it’s you,”
Su Zimo gave a fake smile.
The thing that burrowed out of the mound was the gigantic rat that brought them here from the ancient battlefield.
Su Zimo’s group clashed against the three fiend demons the moment they arrived.
Initially, the rat was on the side of the three fiend demons. Later on, when it sensed something amiss in the situation after the battle broke out, it disappeared.
To think that it would come knocking.
“Brothers, I’m so sorry,”
The rat was half-buried in the mud and said in an embarrassed manner, “I didn’t expect something like this to happen after bringing you guys to the Howling Moon Mountain.”
Monkey and the others woke up as well.
The spirit tiger could not help but sneer when he recounted the way the rat looked when it stood on the side of the three fiend demons. “Are you here because you have a death wish?!”
“N-N-No!”
The rat was shocked and a large part of its body fell back into the hole. It merely revealed half of its head, as though it was ready to escape at any moment, and laughed bitterly. “The situation was pressing back then. I had no other choice!”
Just as the spirit tiger was about to mock it, Su Zimo waved it off and asked indifferently, “What are you here for? How did you find us?”
“Cough.”
The rat coughed gently. “Actually, your location has been exposed.”
“Obviously!”
The spirit tiger pouted his lips. “Even an idiot knows that we’ve been exposed since you’re here!”
“Brother Batian, do you know how you guys were exposed?” The rat asked.
Su Zimo’s eyes shimmered and he looked at the rat silently, awaiting its answer.
