"According to its vague memories, the entire Abyss occupies a vast star domain, containing countless realms that often invade others to plunder resources. The demonic creatures are classified as low-tier demons, mid-tier demons, high-tier demons, and imperial or royal bloodlines; the crimson lineage belongs to the royal class. The creatures invading the Xuantiang continent are considered cannon fodder, numbering in the thousands," Liu Hongfeng explained slowly.
"Despair-level and forbidden zone-level are cannon fodder?" Li Sheng was astonished.
"Yes!" Liu Hongfeng confirmed with a nod. "Only those with awakened intelligence at the demon general level are considered low-tier demons. Demon king level corresponds to mid-tier demons, and demon god level corresponds to high-tier demons. As for the others, I'm not sure."
"Wow, revered grandmasters and first-tier earthly immortals are actually cannon fodder in the Abyss," Li Sheng said with a wry smile, finding it hard to accept.
"Don't be disheartened, Junior Brother. I believe you will one day ascend to the heavens and make the Abyss bow to you!" Liu Hongfeng encouraged, her fist clenched.
Li Sheng chuckled and looked at the blood-red mountain of flesh thousands of zhang away. "Do you know what that thing is? Could it give birth to despair-level demons?"
"Ascend to the heavens? Make the Abyss bow? This foolish woman has quite the faith in you!" came a cold voice.
"Here we go again..." Li Sheng sighed.
"That thing is a demon nest, quite common in the Abyss, capable of producing numerous demons and even evolving into the despair-level creatures you mentioned."
Li Sheng raised an eyebrow, noting that the magical consciousness was no longer scolding him but actually answering his questions. "Is it dangerous to attack that thing?" he asked cautiously.
With over ten thousand demon nests equivalent to over ten thousand despair-level demons, if they were allowed to evolve, the Xuantiang continent could be destroyed. He was reluctant to see such a scenario and would gladly play the savior if given the chance.
"You can't do it. The defenses of a demon nest are incredibly tough. Destroying it from the outside is quite difficult; it would take the combined efforts of the grandmasters of this realm!" Liu Hongfeng shot him a dismissive glance.
Li Sheng wasn't angry; instead, he noticed a loophole in her words. "If it's difficult to destroy from the outside, does that mean it's easier from the inside?"
Liu Hongfeng nodded slightly but didn't respond.
"Help me!" Li Sheng looked at his sister earnestly.
"Why should I?" she replied coldly, disdain evident in her eyes.
"Because you're my sister!" he said with hope, understanding the implications of their situation. With only eleven grandmasters on the Xuantiang continent and over ten thousand demon nests, he knew they had to act.
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"I have no brother..."
Seeing the hopeful look in Li Sheng's eyes, a crack formed in Liu Hongfeng's icy demeanor. The reprimanding words she wanted to say were swallowed, replaced with, "I don't have... a weak brother like you..."
After saying this, Liu Hongfeng felt a surge of irritation, realizing how deeply this foolish woman had influenced her. "As an awakened of the crimson bloodline, I should strive for the position of Crimson Empress. How can I have feelings for a mere mortal? It's simply hopeless..."
"This demon nest is rich in energy; I need it for my cultivation, not to help you!" Liu Hongfeng huffed, striding forward.
"This magical consciousness is quite tsundere; how interesting," Li Sheng thought to himself, maintaining a facade of gratitude. "Thank you, Sister!"
"Hmph!"
The two of them moved toward the mountain of flesh. Liu Hongfeng closed her eyes, a complex diamond-shaped mark appearing on her forehead, exuding an ancient and noble vibe. A dense crimson light enveloped her, forming a massive mark identical to the one on her forehead that descended upon the mountain of flesh.
The two collided without any disturbance; the intricate mark quietly merged into the mountain's surface. Moments later, a huge crack suddenly opened at the mountain's peak, releasing a rich life force mixed with dense demonic energy. The powerful pressure made Li Sheng involuntarily step back several paces.
Liu Hongfeng cast a cold glance at the giant demon and commanded, "Go!"
The giant took a step, vanishing into the crack of the mountain in a few breaths, greedily devouring the essence inside. "Let's go to the next location!"
In a flash, they appeared at another part of the flesh mountain. "By the way, Sister, what kind of treasure is this fruit?" Li Sheng asked, opening a jade box.
"Two Realms Fruit?" Liu Hongfeng paused, looking at him in surprise.
"You know it?" Li Sheng's face lit up.
"Don't call me Sister; you can call me Crimson or Empress," she replied, her tone slightly softened due to the influence of her own consciousness. However, disdain and aversion still dominated her feelings towards him, as the term "Sister" irritated her.
"Alright, Empress," Li Sheng acquiesced.
"This item is called Two Realms Fruit; it helps one refine a clone and is a rare treasure. Your luck is quite good!" Liu Hongfeng explained.
"Refine a clone?" Li Sheng's heart stirred. The sect's location had aided him significantly but also restricted him from venturing too far, which had been a long-standing frustration. Now, with this treasure, if he could successfully refine a clone, he would be completely liberated.
"How do you use this, Sister?"
"Consume the green side and drop your heart's blood on the black side. However, refining a clone consumes a lot of energy; this place can assist you significantly," Liu Hongfeng said before turning to the opened flesh mountain. "Go inside!"
Li Sheng nodded, approaching the mountain's entrance. He looked at the writhing flesh inside, feeling a bit hesitant, but the overwhelming life essence quickly dispelled his concerns.
"Wait, Junior Brother!"
The sweet and clear voice he recognized as Liu Hongfeng's consciousness returned brought him joy.
"Sister, what do you need?"
"Take this."
Liu Hongfeng tossed him a finger-length jade vial.
"What is this...?" Li Sheng asked curiously, opening the vial to find it empty but with water flowing inside when shaken.
"This is Void Liquid; consuming it can enhance spatial affinity, helping one comprehend spatial techniques," Liu Hongfeng explained, her beautiful eyes gleaming with delight.
"Such a treasure exists?" Li Sheng was astonished. Although there was no ranking for secret arts and techniques, space was paramount, and the saying "space is king, time is revered" had long been common knowledge.
"This is far too precious, Empress; you should keep it for yourself." Li Sheng sighed, tossing the vial back.
"There's another portion for one person; you don't need to refuse," she insisted, a flash of crimson light returning the vial to him.