Just as you were hesitating whether to directly cross the red zone to avoid wasting time going around.

Ahead, billowing black smoke flowed from the distance, covering the earth, towering over a hundred meters high, like a massive black sandstorm.

Looking closely, this black smoke was constantly shifting, piecing together into ferocious and terrifying human-faced evil spirits.

These evil spirits were like a plague of locusts sweeping across the land; wherever they went, all living beings, whether from the Demon Tribe or ordinary plants and animals.

All withered and shriveled, as if drained of all moisture, leaving only desiccated husks.

"What is this?"

You had never heard of such a strange phenomenon.

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner flew out from your hand and looked in the direction of the black smoke for a few moments.

"Not good! It's a Forbidden Land Riot! Run, children!"

You glared at the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, which was about to bolt ahead of you, and yanked it back.

"Explain clearly, what is a 'Forbidden Land Riot'?"

"Explain what?! Can't you see? These dark evil spirits are devouring the life essence of living beings, they're already dead beyond dead!"

"What is life essence?"

"All living beings have body and soul. The soul has its soul origin, the body naturally has its life essence!

The reason living beings differ from inanimate objects, capable of growth, thought, and cultivation, is because they are innately endowed with these two special energies!

Every so often, the forbidden lands within the Great Wastes release these dark evil spirits to devour the surrounding living beings!

At its most widespread, it can even spread from the central part of the Great Wastes all the way to the borders of the Five Regions!"

You never expected the human world to have such a dangerous place.

However, seeing those menacing evil spirits, you confidently smiled.

"Little Wan, others might have to run when encountering this situation, but why are you running? Come, let's see your specialty act!"

If the Ten Thousand Souls Banner had an expression, right now it would be "non-moving image.jpg".

"These are not souls."

Hearing this, you immediately felt an intense itch to use your skills, your steel addiction flaring up.

"Since they're not ghosts, then they must be from the Alien Race! I'll handle it!"

Now you knew why the "Traffic Light" had been warning of red danger all along.

The Forbidden Land Riot covered such a vast area that going around wasn't practical anymore. You either had to retreat and wait for who-knows-when it would end, or fight your way through!

You soared through the air, True Qi radiating outward, the powerful oppressive aura from the Martial King Realm shaking the surroundings!

The Blazing Extinction set clad your body, you held the Blazing Extinction War Spear, and charged into the dark storm.

"Alien Race! Prepare to die!"

Your moves were fierce and sharp, your momentum unmatched, wide-open and unrestrained, directly killing until the darkness scattered and the storm recoiled in fear!

However.

It was completely useless.

These dark evil spirits, after being dispersed by your attacks, would rapidly coalesce again, roaring as they charged back to attack you.

"What the hell? Why can't they be killed?"

You also noticed that the two traits, "The Most Severe Father to Non-Humans" and "Heartsteel," hadn't activated!

"We're screwed, we're screwed! Let's get out of here!"

You rapidly retreated, fighting your way out from the encirclement of the evil spirits.

Due to the sheer number of enemies, the back of your hand was still bitten by an evil spirit.

There wasn't the pain of a normal bite, but the skin and flesh on the back of your hand rapidly decayed and turned black, with a tendency to continuously spread.

You were utterly decisive. Gritting your teeth, you drew your sword and sliced off the decayed flesh, revealing stark white bone!

"Hiss—"

That really hurt.

Fortunately, you had already used Proficiency to raise the Heaven-Grade Martial Art, "Seven Divine Starry Steps," to the Transcendent Mastery realm.

Running away was still quite convenient.

Even when those evil spirits formed a massive killing array, they couldn't trap you at all.

After flying to a safe distance, you took healing pills from your Storage Ring while staring at the overwhelming black smoke in the distance, your heart still pounding with fear.

You deduced those evil spirits were likely pure energy entities, yet the "Materialist Warrior" trait didn't grant immunity to their damage either, suggesting the existence releasing this energy was not a non-material entity.

Only this could explain the situation just now.

"Looks like we can only wait it out."

Just as you were about to retreat even further, you suddenly heard someone calling out to you in clumsy human language.

"Young hero, please wait!"

Turning to look, you saw a red, half-human, half-bird creature with clear female characteristics—a curvaceous figure and well-developed pectoral muscles.

This was, of course, a member of the Demon Tribe. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Actually, you had noticed her earlier.

She, like the other demons around, was fleeing the devouring dark storm.

A sweep with your Divine Sense revealed this demon was merely at the Spirit Condensation realm, not worth mentioning.

"What kind of demon are you, and what guidance do you offer?"

"I am Hong Luan, the youngest daughter of the Vermilion Bird. Just now, while trying to save my clansmen, I was trapped within the Forbidden Land Riot. Thanks to the young hero's intervention!

Young hero, though human, could set aside racial prejudice, drawing your blade to help when seeing injustice.

After saving others, you seek neither reward nor gratitude, and were about to leave directly. This truly moves Hong Luan deeply..."

You noticed that as she spoke, her eyes sparkled and her face flushed.

Could it be...

Wake up! Humans and demons are fundamentally different!

You saw on the ground some other demons, all kneeling and kowtowing towards you, thanking you for saving their lives.

Clearly, it was a misunderstanding.

You had just been overconfident, even almost crashing and burning.

It was just that your combat power was ferocious; after charging in, you drew away a large portion of the dark evil spirits' attacks, indirectly allowing Hong Luan and the other demons to escape.

"Ahem, well, actually, I... as the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. In my eyes, saving a human or saving a demon is the same."

"Wow..."

The Demon Tribe is not good at hiding their emotions.

You felt that in Hong Luan's eyes, you were already radiating golden light, practically about to achieve Buddhahood on the spot.

With the Forbidden Land Riot blocking the path, you simply decided to travel with this group of demons you had saved towards a safe area.

Not long after, the Vermilion Bird arrived amidst a sky full of flames, anxiously searching for her most beloved youngest daughter.

And just like that, you successfully gained a connection with the Vermilion Bird.

"Though you are of the human race, you risked yourself to save my daughter. My Demon Tribe is definitely not an ungrateful lot; such a great kindness must be repaid..."

"No need. I saved them not for any gain. I traveled with Hong Luan and the others because they were injured and I feared other humans might harm them. Now that their injuries have healed, I should be on my way."

After you said this, the Vermilion Bird, also a demon and equally poor at hiding her feelings, looked at you with reverence in her eyes.

"I never expected there to be such a pure-hearted person among humans. It seems I held some prejudice against your race."

Actually, when the Vermilion Bird first arrived and saw you with Hong Luan, she thought you were a demon hunter and almost attacked you.

Now, the Vermilion Bird felt even more guilty and even more convinced she should repay you.

But the Demon Tribe has always coexisted with heaven, earth, and nature; their cultivation mostly relies on enduring through time, so she didn't know what she could give you as repayment.

So, you unfurled your map of the State of Yan.