Chapter 159

Ten days later.

Outside the Love-forgetting Forest, the three constantly inspected the condition of the Seal Demon Grand Formation.

"Hongye, rest assured; that brat said as long as the formation isn't broken, his life will be safe."

"Over the past few days, the demonic qi in the Love-forgetting Forest has been dwindling; surely it won't be long before we accomplish our goal and return."

Yan Chixia finished speaking, and Sima Saniang then said:

"That's right; in my opinion, Liuyun will come out in three to five days, so you shouldn't worry so much."

Yan Hongye watched the formation's demonic qi grow fainter and fainter, then suddenly spoke:

"Mother, why do you say he's so foolish, insisting on sacrificing his life to save me?"

The couple exchanged a glance, and Sima Saniang, feeling somewhat sentimental, said:

"On the way to send your senior brother to the Profound Heart Orthodox Sect, he secretly cried, saying he didn't want to study under his grandmaster, but his feelings came and went quickly; in the end he solemnly promised that after completing his studies and descending the mountain, he would certainly protect his junior sister."

Hearing this, Yan Chixia's eyes grew sore, and he increasingly felt unworthy to be a father.

Yan Hongye's expression froze slightly, and she softly said:

"No wonder he called off our engagement as soon as he came down the mountain; he must have long ago heard that I studied the Profound Heart Marvelous Technique and thus developed the desire to learn it himself."

"It turns out he had planned from the start to exchange his life for mine, and I never noticed."

She silently shed tears, gave a bitter smile, and said:

"Mother, you say he's really stupid, such a foolish person, no wonder his Dao arts have remained stuck at the Yellow Talisman Realm."

Sima Saniang, her face full of heartache, embraced Yan Hongye in her arms:

"Hongye, a virtuous person naturally enjoys heavenly favor; Liuyun will surely be fine. Afterwards we'll think of a way together to help him dispel the power of the Profound Heart Subtle Marvel Technique."

"Yes yes yes, when the time comes let that brat Liuyun teach me the secret of reverse-cultivating the Profound Heart Subtle Marvel Technique." Yan Chixia said hurriedly.

"Anyway, I've lived long enough; it's time to atone for the mistakes I've made."

"Get lost, you're just dissatisfied that my daughter isn't miserable enough." Sima Saniang, in no good mood, shouted away the smirking Yan Chixia.

At the same time, the Lovelees Cave.

In the depths of the Yin World's Gloomy Spring, a scarlet-red egg constantly rose and fell; with each rise and fall, who knows how much rich, profound demonic qi it swallowed.

Inside the scarlet-red egg, the fluid that once flowed like clouds and mist gradually ceased, instead gathering into a humanoid form with a dragon's tail.

Appearing about twenty years old, with a head of white hair crystal-clear and translucent like ancient profound ice, he slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of eerily blue pupils.

"Thanks to the blessing of the Gloomy Spring's demonic qi, I have not only attained the fourth level of Reverse Birth, refined all my bodily apertures, reached the third level of Outer Manifestation; a single strike can turn ten-odd twenty li to ashes, and I can also concentrate my power within a small space without leakage."

"Furthermore, I have awakened the innate divine ability of entering dreams from my demon bloodline; the bloodline's power is also outwardly manifested, and now my half-human, half-demonic form is my true body."

"The power of the dragon tail is interesting; it inherently grants the ability to ride clouds and mist, to wander through the void."

His eyes shone forth as he muttered:

"The Gloomy Spring still has less than twenty percent of its demonic qi left; I can try the evil arts I learned at the Despair Mountain Villa."

"Using demonic qi to forge puppets that obey me will surely be far more durable than wood."

Zhuang Buran formed a seal with his fingers; the increasingly thin demonic qi around him swiftly gathered.

Three days later.

A loud explosion rang from the depths of the Lovelees Cave; the fierce aura that surged out immediately shattered the Demon-Sealing Grand Formation.

First, a crimson-gold ray of light fled, disappearing into the horizon; then came a stream of black shadows flying out of the cave—black-clad figures wearing masks, who took their places beside the palanquin-shaped airship outside the cave.

In total there were 127 people, each wearing a mask engraved with a Jia-character number, from Jia One through Jia One Hundred Twenty-Seven in order.

Immediately, a barefoot youth clad in blood-red robes and silver hair stepped forward, slowly taking his seat in the palanquin.

Jia One through Jia Eight immediately lifted the palanquin; the remaining masked figures guarded its surroundings, then together they leapt up and rushed toward the outside of the Wangqing Forest.

At that moment, not only did Yan Hongye and her companions notice the Demon-Sealing Grand Formation had been broken, but the members of the Profound Heart Orthodox Sect and the Yin Moon Dynasty also discovered the formation had been inexplicably shattered; concerning whether the world-shaking calamity could be averted, they all arrived at once.

Not long after, the three groups outside the Wangqing Forest met, intending to enter together to investigate, when a batch of black-clad people of unknown origin came into view.

As they drew near, most of them fixed their gaze on the peculiarly familiar palanquin.

"Liuyun, is that you?" Yan Chixia called out, somewhat doubtful.

Over a hundred black-clad figures suddenly surrounded everyone, each forming the same seal; a black talisman manifested in midair, then violently pressed downward.

Everyone felt as if a heaven‑supporting mountain were collapsing upon them, and instinctively circulated their energy to resist.

Yan Chixia and Sima Saniang naturally placed the power‑depleted Yan Hongye behind them, so she would not be harmed by the sudden assault.

"Big Beard, the person inside the palanquin must be Liuyun."

Sima Saniang carefully surveyed the surroundings:

"These black‑clad people resemble the Greater Treasure, Middle Treasure, and Lesser Treasure I refined; their method of refinement is fundamentally from the same source."

Upon hearing this, Yan Chixia immediately shouted:

"Liuyun, what's happened to you?"

A faint voice with a hint of laughter came from within the palanquin:

"The puppets I have refined appear quite good; their cultivation is all at the Profound Heart Orthodox Sect's Golden Talisman Realm."

"Now the leaders of the Profound Heart Orthodox Sect and the Yin Moon Dynasty's demon lord are half‑disabled; only about ten or so can match the Golden Talisman Realm, which shows that I ought to become the heavenly demon lord who overwhelms the world."

The voice paused, then continued:

"I have heard that the Yin Moon Dynasty intends to use the power of the Seven‑Lifetime Enmity‑Couple to invade the human realm; I would like to see whether the seven‑lifetime grudge power accumulated from mundane love and affection, compared with the demonic qi amassed over countless years in the Yin World's Gloomy Spring, is lighter or heavier."

As the words fell, Qiye let out a miserable scream, and black qi poured forth from his heavenly spirit.

"Holy Sovereign!"

The Four Sages of the Demon Palace shouted anxiously.

"I have heard that in the recent righteous‑demonic war twenty years ago, the Yin Moon Dynasty only seized the female infant of the Seven‑Lifetime Enmity‑Couple, never expecting that they also took the male infant in secret."

"And yet he ended up occupying the demon lord's throne—quite interesting, his schemes are deep; perhaps he intends to have this person, on the day of the Heavenly Demon's Charge Against the Seven Slaughters, draw down the boundless demonic qi of the Heavenly Demon Star, accomplish the demonic transformation of heaven and earth, and destroy the human realm."

If that is so, the Heavenly Demon could indeed be revived, but all spirits in the world, and even all kinds of demons, would likely cease to exist.

The demonic beings of the Yin Yue Dynasty, no matter how dull-witted, would surely not do such a foolish thing.

"Zhuge Liúyún, you say the Holy Lord is a lover from seven lifetimes of resentment?" Jing Wuyuan spoke, bearing the heavy pressure with difficulty.

"Hehe, don't just listen to me; you must see with your own eyes."

Zhuang Buran's fingertips inside the carriage flashed with light, beginning to draw the deep demonic energy rising from Qiye's body.

At that moment, seeing the demonic energy full of resentment and hatred rising from Qiye's body, everyone's hearts were utterly convinced.

"I also heard that, before the war between the righteous and the demonic, the sole remaining Yue Mo of the Heavenly Demon clan once brought chaos to the Yin Yue Demon Palace; this demon used a lute melody that bewitched the seven apertures and confused the six desires, causing those inside the palace to slaughter one another."

"It seems she is not dead; most likely she is lurking in the shadows, probably plotting to make Qiye, the Demon Lord, a tool for reviving her own clan."

Zhuang Buran said calmly:

"External calamities never cease, internal troubles arise frequently, and there is a hidden hand scheming everything; alas, nothing can escape my divine eye—it is fitting that I become the lord of the Heavenly Demon."

As he spoke, the demonic energy lurking within Qiye's soul seemed to be squeezed dry, and he suddenly fainted and collapsed.

"Holy Lord!"

Even the Four Sages of the Demon Palace, though they knew Qiye was a lover from seven lifetimes of resentment, still worried about his safety.

"Sigh, I don't know if it's only because of the six-lifetime resentment demonic energy, but if the demonic energy in the Yin World's Hidden Spring could let me have a full meal, this would at best be a dessert after the meal."

A chilling voice issued from within the carriage:

"It seems that on the day the Heavenly Demon confronts the Seven Slaughters, I shall guide the boundless demonic energy from the Heavenly Demon Star down to the mortal realm."

"Liúyún, could it not be that you have been corrupted by the demonic energy of the Yin World's Hidden Spring, causing you to go berserk and your temperament to change greatly?" Yan Chixia shouted:

"Don't forget, you previously said you wanted to be a hero who saves the world!"

"All spirits are equal; saving anyone is still saving."

Zhuang Buran said indifferently:

"To create a prosperous age for the Heavenly Demon can also be called saving the world!"

(End of chapter)