<em>Zhao Wuji’s death and his inability to do anything about it must’ve impacted him a lot. He’s going crazy, and it’ll be dangerous if I continue standing in front of him like this since I’m his enemy. He might kill me if I’m not careful. </em>Long Chen said nothing and left.


    One thing he did take note of was what Demon General Strongman had said about the Clear Shallows King. Long Chen treated it as mere gossip though as he knew that the Clear Shallows King was not the kind of woman who would sleep with just anyone. Judging by how headstrong she seemed, she would only sleep with someone if they killed her first.


    Back in his room, Long Chen informed Xiang about his n. “I have a method to go to the thirdyer of the Demon World, but let me consolidate my Qi first. It’s still a bit unstable since I’ve just reached the Seventh Passage Stage.


    Xiang nodded. Ever since they came to the Divine Martial Empire, he hadn’t had a chance to help Long Chen in anything, so he was feeling ufortable even though there was no choice. His strength would only increase if he ate mes; he could not grow strong through cultivating.


    “I will start cultivating the Demonic Illusion with Liu Yiyi in a few days. Since we learned Divine Fire Clone together, you should cultivate it too.”


    Xiang had also cultivated Long Chen’s two divine techniques, Divine Fire Clone and the Demon Seed nting Technique. As long as Long Chen guided him, Xiang wouldn’t have too much trouble mastering the Demonic Illusion.


    Two dayster, Long Chen finished consolidating his Qi. Only then did he depart for Demon World Mountain.


    He was now stronger than the first time he went there.


    The Clear Shallows King never announced that Long Chen had killed Zhao Wuji, and the Red Ghost King would die rather than humiliate himself by announcing that his disciple had lost. But there was one news that the Clear Shallows King had spread to the world, and that was Long Chen bing her direct disciple.This told the public that Huangfu Qi was indeed from the Huangfu family. The Red Ghost King had given up on Long Chen, causing thetter to lose his chance to be a direct disciple, but Long Chen had lucked out and ended up bing a direct disciple of the Clear Shallows King. Many people had seen Long Chen in the past, so he was recognized when he went out.


    After all, there were six thousand regr disciples, but only seventy or so were direct disciples. No matter where they went, they would be the focal point. Long Chen’s poprity was technically at the bottom of the barrel, while Liu Yiyi and Ying Shaotian were known by everyone.


    Everyone steered clear of Long Chen when they saw his fierce face.


    Once back at the mountain, Long Chen heard someone gossiping about him. “That’s Jiang Cheng. He just got lucky and became a direct disciple. Do you see how haughty he looked?”


    “There’s no point in being haughty. He might be strong, but his potential is finished. I’m sure he will be a regr disciple again in two years, and no one will pay him any mind. I heard that he was only at the First Passage Stage. It seems he might not even be an elder before the age of thirty.


    One needed to be at the Sixth Passage Stage to be an elder.


    There were many people above the age of thirty from the Ancient Demon Domain that had been sent out to work. Some of them worked in the businesses of the Ancient Demon Domain, some opened branch sects, and there were even a few who went to smaller kingdoms like the Cangyang Kingdom to build their own country.


    Long Chen ignored their gossip.


    Once back at the mountaintop, he jumped down and arrived at the firstyer. With his previous experience, he soon found the secondyer. He remembered the path leading to the thirdyer, but it was still arge ce to explore. It took a whole hour for Long Chen to find Demon General Typhoon again.


    It was clear that the Seven Layer Demon World was massive. The firstyer was around the size of the Ancient Demon Domain, and the secondyer was bigger than that. It was clear that the deeper levels would be evenrger.


    It was a strange Miniverse.


    The Ancient Demon Domain had been in operation for tens of thousands of years, and they never would’ve chosen to build their base here if it wasn’t for the Seven Layer Demon World. Many of therger sects were reliant on the Miniverse they found.


    Long Chen’s appearance came as a shock to the guards who looked after the entrance to the thirdyer. Demon General Typhoon approached him. “Jiang Cheng, this is the thirdyer of the demon world. There are demonic beasts at the Category Seven Heaven-tier. You should stand back a little.”


    He assumed Long Chen was lost.


    Still, he was surprised that Long Chen had found this ce so easily in the secondyer.


    “Demon General, have you heard of the news of me bing the direct disciple of the Clear Shallows King?” Long Chen handed him his identity token.


    The Demon General examined it and returned it to Long Chen. “I’ve heard. Congrattions! Your future prospects are good if the Clear Shallows King is teaching you personally.”


    “Thank you. This is a letter from my master.”


    He looked at the letter and was shocked. “You want to enter the thirdyer?”


    As far as he was aware, Long Chen was only at the First Passage Stage, and he assumed that Long Chen had only managed to explore the secondyer because of his unrivaled talent in battle. But that should’ve been his limit. It was too much of a joke for him to enter the thirdyer.


    Long Chen nodded. “Yes. Please let me in.”


    Demon General Typhoon confirmed again and was certain that the Clear Shallows King had allowed him to enter the thirdyer. He had no right to stop him, but he still didn’t understand why. At this moment, he suddenly hurled a punch and shouted, “Take this!”


    He had controlled his strength to be around the level of a Fourth Passage Stage cultivator. Surely Long Chen wouldn’t be able to defend himself.


    This test was his way of being kind.


    Long Chen smiled and extended his arm to block the attack easily before punching back. The Demon General''s eyes went wide with shock. “Jiang Cheng, you crazy bastard! To think that you hid your strength so well! You are already close to the Seventh Passage Stage!”


    He didn’t know that Long Chen’s cultivation level increased explosively in the past few days. Progressing that quickly was impossible as far as he knew, so he assumed Long Chen had used a secret technique to hide his real cultivation level. If not, how could his new strength be exined?


    “Can I enter the thirdyer now?” Long Chen whispered.


    Only the two of them knew about this.


    “Of course. I had no idea you were hiding your strength; even I was fooled! The Red Ghost King will die from regret if he learns about your real strength.”


    Long Chen chuckled. “Please keep this a secret for now.”


    The Demon General Typhoon nodded. “Of course. You may enter, but don’t go too deep. There are Category Eight Heaven-tier demonic beasts in the deeper regions, and there’s even a Category Nine Heaven-tier demonic beast in the deepest region!”


    Long Chen nodded. “Thank you. I will remember your warning.”


    Having said that, Demon General Typhoon led him to the entrance. Inside the entrance was a fork.


    “The left leads to the thirdyer, while the right leads to the fourth. There was once a King-tier demonic beast in the fourthyer, but it was in a long time ago. Now that it’s empty, they built arge warfield there, and it’s where the assessment will be held. I hope you do well when that timees!”


    <em>The fourthyer?</em>


    Long Chen only knew that the assessment was going to be held at the fourthyer of the Demon World.


    That meant the entrance to the fifth, sixth, and seventhyers was hidden in either the third or the fourth, though it was most likely in the fourth.


    Long Chen thanked Demon General Typhoon and entered the thirdyer.


    As he had expected, it was just a beefed-up version of the secondyer. It was muchrger, and the dark gas in the sky was even more dense than in the secondyer. He even faintly sensed the presence of several demonic beasts in the area that posed a threat to him.


    Fat Cat suddenly spoke up at this point.


    “I feel it. The thing that’s consuming Life Qi is below us.”


    Long Chen was stunned. He kept hearing the cat talking about it, but what was its true nature?


    <em>Below? Maybe it’s in the bottomyers? Around the seventhyer, maybe?</em>


    The rumored pce was built in one of the bottomyers.<blockquote>


    Doge & Chacha''s Thoughts


    Please tell me it''s a massive demonic worm eating up all that Life Qi. Giving me Dune vibes</blockquote>