Jia Ren utilized the Xuan Shui Escape continuously, his speed astonishing. The downside was the rapid consumption of Spiritual Power. When his Spiritual Power dropped below ten percent, he switched to using Divine Wind Talismans and the Wind Control Skill.

The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre did not follow closely and became silent. Have I left the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's area of influence? he wondered. I cannot let my guard down! Not seeing the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre didn't guarantee safety. Given its profound and calculating nature, believing oneself safe and lowering one's guard could invite catastrophic disaster.

After traveling another two thousand miles and confirming the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre was not in pursuit, Jia Ren finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Where am I?

The Wings of Annihilation, propelled by one hundred and eight Second Order Divine Wind Talisman Pills, were difficult to control; the slightest deviation could result in being a thousand miles off course. A minuscule difference, when extended over thousands of miles, could create a massive discrepancy. To quickly evade the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, he had decisively used the Xuan Shui Escape upon nearing a body of water to increase his lead. The water current had deviated from his planned route, altering his direction of travel long ago.

Have I left the Barren Extreme Land?

The map purchased from the Qingfu Market wasn't highly detailed, but it roughly indicated mountains, rivers, and the distribution of influential powers. This waterway shared the same source as the Peaceful Water River, being one of its tributaries. By observing the water's flow, Jia Ren roughly estimated his position. He had indeed departed the Barren Extreme Land.

There were two ways to return to Peaceful Water Courtyard Lake. The first was to retrace his steps. The Barren Extreme Land had a limited number of waterways; by following his previous direction, he would eventually find his way back. Traveling upstream along the main current for over ten thousand miles would lead him home. However, a journey of over ten thousand miles would inevitably involve encountering the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's informants, leading to unforeseen complications. He did not want to be hunted by the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre again. His earlier escape had been largely thanks to the Wings of Annihilation and the one hundred and eight Second Order Divine Wind Talisman Pills. With the Second Order Divine Wind Talisman Pills depleted, he couldn't use the same tactic twice. If he returned the way he came and fell into one of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's traps, he feared he wouldn't make it out alive. The risk is too great! I can't take the chance!

I'd better take a detour! A detour would take more time, but it was preferable to encountering the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre.

The Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat ascended, controlled by his Insect External Incarnation, while his true self sat in meditation, holding a medium-grade Spirit Stone in each hand to recover Spiritual Power. The Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat's speed couldn't compare to that of the Divine Wind Talismans or sword flight, but its sole advantage was its low Spiritual Power consumption. In this perilous and unfamiliar territory, maintaining ample Spiritual Power was paramount. The Flying Boat headed towards a gloomier region.

Four hours later, Jia Ren slowly opened his eyes, his Spiritual Power restored to its peak. His true self then took control of the Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat, while the Insect External Incarnation began meditating to recover its own energy. Along the way, he continuously used Demon-Spotting Talismans, detecting Magical Beasts in advance and avoiding them. Every Magical Beast could potentially be an informant for the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, so he had to be vigilant.

After flying for five days, constantly adjusting his course based on the mountains and rivers, he sighed. This is truly a desolate and treacherous land; no wonder there are no cultivators. The ambient Spiritual Energy was extremely thin, Spiritual Medicines were scarce, and there were very few Magical Beasts. The Insect External Incarnation's attempt to gather Spiritual Medicines proved fruitless, so it returned to piloting the Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat.

Jia Ren began to sort through the spoils he had obtained from killing several Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators when he fled the Five Spirits Medicine Garden. Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators in the Barren Extreme Land were considered local overlords, and most possessed considerable wealth. Jia Ren had acquired three Storage Bags, and the amount of Spirit Stones far exceeded what he had gained from killing the five Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Five Elements Sect previously.

Huh, Evil Warding materials? Xuan Ming Stone?

Jia Ren opened a Storage Bag. Inside, there were over twenty Xuan Ming Stones of various sizes. Most were irregularly shaped, with rough edges and impurities. These were undoubtedly raw Xuan Ming Stone ores, and quite a number of them. The largest raw Xuan Ming Stone was the size of a millstone, while the smallest was as large as an egg. Jia Ren had previously purchased one Xuan Ming Stone from the Yuding Sect for eight thousand Spirit Stones. This was a friendship price offered because the Yuding Sect wanted to recruit him; Loose Cultivators couldn't buy it in the Market.

Xuan Ming Stone can be used to create the Seal-Demon Formation, Jia Ren mused. The Artifact Record also contains methods to forge Xuan Ming Stone into Evil-Sealing Artifacts. The piece I obtained before was too small. At most, it could only be used for a small Seal-Demon Formation, insufficient to refine an Evil-Sealing Artifact. Now that I've obtained so many raw Xuan Ming Stone ores, combined with the Xuan Yang Gem I already have, should I consider forging a Perpetual Motion Artifact next?

Jia Ren had been repeatedly hunted by the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, which seemed determined to pursue him to the death; even the mildest person eventually snaps. Being chased relentlessly like a dog had stoked a fire of resentment within him. Just because he currently lacked a way to kill Bizarre Demons didn't mean it would always be so. If the Perpetual Motion Artifact project succeeded, he could make the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre endure eternal incineration, continuously 'working' for him. Xuan Ming Stone was a superior material for crafting artifacts to seal Bizarre Demons; perhaps it could help him achieve his desire.

While controlling the flying artifact, Jia Ren pondered how to construct the Perpetual Motion Artifact.

Time slipped by, and in what felt like no time, over a month had passed. He had traveled more than ten thousand miles and was drawing ever closer to Peaceful Water Courtyard Lake.

Modification successful!

He had recently been researching the conversion of talisman patterns into Inscriptions. After more than a month of dedicated effort, he had finally completed the improvements. The Perpetual Motion Artifact project now showed promise of success. The next Evil Warding materials he planned to incorporate into the forging process were... Phoenix Flame Tail and Xuan Ming Stone. The Xuan Yang Gemstone and Thunder Rhino Horn could be included depending on the circumstances. Jia Ren gradually accumulated ideas, formulating several plans. Experimentation would be necessary to determine their viability.

I'm not far from home now. He took out his map, roughly checked his bearings, and confirmed his direction. He estimated there were still over five thousand miles to go. Eager to test the ideas brewing in his mind, Jia Ren decided against using the Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat and switched to flying with his Sword Control Technique. Activated by a Divine Wind Talisman and enhanced by his Grandmaster Level Sword Control Technique, his sword flight became a thunderous sound, carrying him towards the distant horizon at an astonishing speed.

Huh, what's that?

A hundred miles away, a Third-rank White Deer Magical Beast was fleeing in panic, its speed incredibly fast, as if something terrifying was pursuing it. Who would dare to chase a Third-rank Magical Beast? A cultivator or a Bizarre Demon?!

Better to avoid trouble. Jia Ren decisively swerved his sword flight away from the white deer's direction, steering clear of potential complications.

The white deer didn't run for long before its agile limbs grew stiff and weak. It stumbled and collapsed. How could a Third-rank Magical Beast just fall? Something is definitely strange. The white deer lay on the ground, unmoving. If not for the faint aura of life still emanating from it, one might have suspected it had died silently.

What's going on? This is too bizarre! Could it be related to a Bizarre Demon? The abilities of Bizarre Demons were myriad and strange; nothing was truly surprising when they were involved. Not wanting to invite trouble or take advantage of the Third-rank Magical Beast's plight, Jia Ren decisively accelerated away.

Change direction!

Not long after altering his course, he spotted numerous humans lying on the ground in a nearby village from afar. Some were still alive, though barely, and unconscious. Others were dead, their bodies shriveled, with pale white flowers sprouting from their flesh. These pale white flowers were unlike any Spiritual Medicine or bloom Jia Ren recognized. The blossoms twitched and turned, seemingly scanning their surroundings, not behaving like ordinary plants. They seemed more like... Bizarre Objects.

Jia Ren donned a mask designed to filter out poisonous gases, protecting himself from toxins like the Colorless Soul-Confusing Smoke, and steered clear of the apparently hazardous area.

There's a high probability it's a Bizarre Demon...

He was fortunate; his flight path hadn't taken him through the area affected by the unknown Bizarre Demon, and his Evil Warding Talisman hadn't activated. Jia Ren remained constantly vigilant, wary of trouble finding him.

He flew for another hundred miles and spotted several Magical Beasts. There were no unconscious Magical Beasts here, indicating he hadn't strayed into the unknown Bizarre Demon's range. He hunted and killed a few Magical Beasts. When no sign of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre emerged from them, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

What kind of Bizarre Demon is this? A Dream Bizarre?

Jia Ren recalled hearing news about the Dream Bizarre during his first visit to an exchange meet at the Red Cloud Market, where he had inadvertently learned about Bizarre Demons. He had never encountered a Dream Bizarre before, but the inexplicably fallen Third-rank White Deer Magical Beast and the unconscious mortals strongly resembled victims dragged into a dream. However, corpses covered in white flowers didn't seem like an ability of the Dream Bizarre. It was either another strange power wielded by the Dream Bizarre or the ability of a different Bizarre Demon. He had read records of symbiotic Bizarre Demons in the 'Chronicles of Strange Phenomena'; two Bizarre Demons forming a symbiotic partnership were extremely difficult to deal with.

I wonder how strong the Dream Bizarre is? It was difficult to assess the strength of Bizarre Demons; they were generally evaluated based on the difficulty of sealing them and the danger posed by their bizarre abilities. Weaker Bizarre Demons typically possessed singular abilities and lacked the potential for growth. These types were the easiest to seal. The Dream Bizarre, Black Blood Bizarre, and Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre all had extensive ranges of influence. Most terrifyingly, all three Bizarre Demons possessed the capacity for growth, making them exceptionally challenging. He hadn't directly encountered the Dream Bizarre, but its manifested abilities were alarming. If a symbiotic Bizarre Demon was also involved, it would undoubtedly be incredibly troublesome. The Black Blood Bizarre was quite intelligent, known for 'farming' humans, and its growth potential was significant.

But the most terrifying was the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre—powerful and exceedingly insidious. To this day, Jia Ren had no idea how many cultivators and Magical Beasts it secretly controlled, nor the full extent of its numerous abilities. The Barren Extreme Land had already become the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's Heart Devil Realm. It could manifest anywhere at any time, and once targeted, escape was nearly impossible. In the future, the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre's sphere of influence would only continue to expand.

Bizarre Demons are terrifying. How should humanity cope... Perhaps a Perpetual Motion Artifact was the best solution for dealing with Bizarre Demons.

Jia Ren sped away at an astonishing rate, leaving the troubled lands behind.

After flying for two days, he finally saw the familiar river and the boundless expanse of Peaceful Water Courtyard Lake.

I'm finally home!

"Junior Brother, you're finally back!" Zhang Peng Peng's voice was laced with unconcealed excitement as she sensed Jia Ren's aura. He had been gone for two months on this relocation, without a trace. She had even begun to suspect she had been abandoned here... Thankfully, he had returned.

"We'll need to move again in a little while!"

Move again? Zhang Peng Peng thought, surprised. Isn't Peaceful Water Courtyard Lake very safe? No dangers have appeared here for over two months; why move?

"This place may not remain peaceful for much longer," Jia Ren stated. "We should leave while we can."

The Dream Bizarre's influence was still expanding, and it was unclear if it would reach Peaceful Water Courtyard Lake. The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre had nearly blanketed the entire Barren Extreme Land and wouldn't cease its expansion, inevitably affecting more regions. Jia Ren didn't want to be unwittingly embroiled in trouble, so he resolved to prepare for departure as soon as possible.

This time, no matter what, I must create an artifact capable of sealing Bizarre Demons!

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