Chapter 280: Heaven's Mandate Foes Gather, Ox-Head and Horse-Face!

Heaven's Mandate Foes!

The reason Chen Ku said this is not because the two of them previously had any connection or conflict.

But because Chen Ku clearly knows that, in later times, the two will share a deep bond, or rather, karma.

In the later era of humanity's Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Xuanyuan Huangdi will contend with the Nine Li Tribe for the position of Human Emperor.

And in legend, the leader of the Nine Li Tribe is none other than the reincarnation of Chiyou.

It was precisely in that battle that Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden chose to descend and aid Xuanyuan, ultimately leading to Chiyou's defeat.

Chen Ku was greatly surprised, never expecting that the two would now be about to clash head-on, right?!

Just as Chen Ku was pondering in his mind,

Meanwhile, Chiyou descended powerfully onto the scene.

He wasted no words, immediately striking out and engaging Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden in battle.

When the Great Witch acted, his might was naturally incomparable to that of an ordinary Minor Witch before.

Chiyou was extraordinarily violent.

With a single step, the earth shuddered violently, and cracks appeared.

Immediately following, a punch blasted out, shattering the void, producing a tremendous void explosion, piercing metal and splitting stone, making people's eardrums ache.

For a moment, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden also kept retreating, appearing quite embarrassed.

However, after just a moment, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden steadied her form and also brought forth various treasures to directly confront Chiyou.

In the midst of her attacks, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden kept speaking urgently:

"Chiyou, fellow Daoist, please stop quickly!"

"Today's affair is merely a misunderstanding!"

"I have no intention of fighting with you fellow Daoists of the Wu Clan."

However, after Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's words fell,

Opposite her, Chiyou's face remained cold and stern, his eyes flashing with chilling light.

"Hmph, what nonsense misunderstanding?!"

"Don't keep babbling here."

"Since you dare to obstruct our Wu Clan's endeavors, let strength speak."

"If today you can defeat me, you may simply leave."

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless, letting you die here."

Evidently, for Chiyou, he does not know what it means to cherish fragrance and pity jade.

As he spoke, his attacks grew ever more violent, unstoppable.

Even though Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden had divine armor protecting her, she was repeatedly struck down by Chiyou, unable to suppress her groans, gradually showing a hint of pain.

No way!

You see, Chiyou, such a Great Witch, has been renowned for ages; his strength is naturally supreme.

Moreover, although Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden brought forth all kinds of treasures, Chiyou paid them no heed.

Relying on his indestructible flesh, Chiyou could barehanded clash with treasures, which is no problem.

One could say the situation instantly reversed, with Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden being completely suppressed by Chiyou.

This sight also caused many Wu Clan Minor Witches to have their hearts stirred, their fervor unabated.

Our own Great Witch Chiyou will today display his divine might and suppress and slay Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden.

However, at this very moment, an abrupt change occurred.

"Alas......"

"In my view, this battle should also end here!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out in the scene without any warning.

Upon hearing it, Chiyou, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, and the many Minor Witches were all startled, hastily turning toward the sound.

Only to see, as the voice faded, Chen Ku's form also manifested, stepping forward into the scene to face Chiyou and company.

Not bad!

The earlier words were indeed spoken by Chen Ku.

He naturally could not stand by and watch Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden die at Chiyou's hand.

After all, the former will later have great significance and effect for humanity's beings.

If he were to die today, it would likely affect the fate of humanity.

More importantly, upon observation, Chen Ku also felt that Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did not seem to be feigning.

Perhaps she is truly innocent.

Therefore, he revealed himself to persuade peace and quell this great battle.

Upon seeing Chen Ku appear, Chiyou's pupils constricted and his expression changed dramatically.

"Is that Senior Chen Ku?!"

"Chiyou has met the senior!"

Chiyou exclaimed in surprise, then hastily performed a salute.

Meanwhile, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's beautiful eyes shone with varied light, and she immediately performed a graceful salute, full of reverence, not daring to be negligent.

No need for more words!

Now Chen Ku's strength is such that he is truly the foremost person under the Sage.

No!

More accurately, he is an existence almost comparable to a Sage, with unrivaled renown, like the sun at high noon.

It can be said that everyone knows, everyone is aware.

Therefore, the few people present naturally dared not ignore it.

Moreover, to Chiyou, Chen Ku before him was an absolute ruthless person who had single-handedly defeated his own twelve ancestor witches.

Therefore, Chiyou respected him even more, addressing him as 'Senior'.

Seeing this, Chen Ku smiled faintly and nodded.

"Hehe, I happened to pass by this place and saw you all fighting without cease."

"I wonder what caused this?"

Chen Ku looked at Chiyou, then at Nine Heavens Profound Maiden, and said.

The fragmentary remarks of those present still made it difficult for Chen Ku to fully understand the whole story.

Hearing this, Chiyou raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What's going on?!"

"Could it be that Chen Ku came here to protect Nine Heavens Profound Maiden?!"

He speculated to himself.

Immediately after, Chiyou also spoke up.

"Senior Chen Ku, please see clearly!"

"Now everyone knows that my Wu Clan and the Demon Race are irreconcilable, a matter of life and death."

"Hmph, yet this Nine Heavens Profound Maiden is an enemy of my Wu Clan, a beast that aids the Demon Race, having rescued them."

"How could my Wu Clan tolerate such an act?!"

Chiyou was indignant.

Even while speaking, he glared at Nine Heavens Profound Maiden with uncontrollable anger.

Upon hearing his account, Chen Ku immediately showed a look of doubt.

"Enemy of the Wu Clan?"

"Rescuing the Demon Race's living beings?!"

"When did the West Kunlun lineage become so powerful?!"

He looked at Nine Heavens Profound Maiden on the other side, half-believing, half-doubting.

Seeing Chen Ku's gaze fall upon her, Nine Heavens Profound Maiden also wore a helpless expression.

She tidied her hair, which had become somewhat disheveled from the previous battle, then spoke softly:

"Senior Chen Ku, it's not like that!"

"I act under the order of my master, the Queen Mother of the West, to travel the world; I am not an enemy of the Wu Clan, nor do I have any involvement with the Demon Race."

"I merely... passing by this place, I saw those Demon Race beings innocent, yet ruthlessly slain by the Wu Clan."

"Unable to bear it in my heart, I rescued those living beings."

After a pause, as if worried Chen Ku might not believe her, Nine Heavens Profound Maiden added:

"Those living beings, though of Demon Race origin, are innately kind-hearted and keep to themselves."

"Furthermore, they have never been involved in the Wu-Demon Great Calamity."

For a moment, Chen Ku's face showed a contemplative expression.

If that's the case...... then it's not wrong!

This indeed matches Nine Heavens Profound Maiden's nature.

After all, as a woman, she naturally cannot bear such violent slaughter.

Moreover, she feels great compassion for innocent living beings.

Otherwise, she would not have later intervened in human affairs so rashly.

Who would have thought, before Chen Ku could say anything.

No sooner had Nine Heavens Profound Maiden finished speaking than Chiyou beside her could not help but speak again:

"Hmph, what innocent living beings?!"

"Every Demon Race living being cannot be called innocent."

"Even if they have not yet submitted to Di Jun Taiyi's command, there's no guarantee they won't in the future."

"Those not of our kind must have different hearts; only thorough extermination is the Wu Clan's way of dealing with them."

Hearing this, Chen Ku felt somewhat helpless.

The Wu Clan has always been warlike and skilled in battle.

Moreover, for a great witch like Chiyou, slaughter and battle have perhaps long become commonplace, a matter of habit.

Thus, slaughtering some Demon Race living beings makes him appear so indifferent, not taking it to heart.

Furthermore, from Chiyou's—or the Wu Clan's—perspective, this argument does make sense.

This way, future troubles can be permanently eliminated!

"You both sides each have your own reasons!"

"In fact, it cannot be said who is right or wrong."

"After all, today's matter is ultimately just a misunderstanding."

Chen Ku finally spoke, saying:

He had no intention of judging right or wrong; he merely wanted to quell today's battle so that Nine Heavens Profound Maiden would not die at the hands of the Wu Clan.

However, as soon as these words were spoken.

Nine Heavens Profound Maiden immediately nodded repeatedly, indicating that Chen Ku's words were correct.

But on the other side, Chiyou was not so easily appeased.

Even though he respected Chen Ku in his heart, Chiyou still bluntly retorted.

"In my view, this is definitely not a misunderstanding; it's clearly that the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did it on purpose."

"Hmph, in twenty thousand years the ceasefire will end; by then, there will inevitably be a life-and-death battle between our Wu Clan and the Demon Race."

"Isn't this move by the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden deliberately protecting the Demon Race's beings, so that they can continue to deal with our Wu Clan later?"

Chiyou spoke with firm conviction, seemingly convinced that the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden had ulterior motives.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ku could neither laugh nor cry!

"Ah... suffering, suffering......"

"Wu Clan fellow cultivator, how are you still as straightforward as ever?!"

He couldn't help but sigh like that.

"Straightforward!"

This is already a relatively polite way of putting it.

If put more bluntly, he's just being single-minded.

Chiyou doesn't even think: the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden is a disciple of the Queen Mother of the West, and has nothing to do with the Wu-Demon Great Calamity, so why would she need to protect the Demon Race?

However, Chen Ku didn't have time to voice such a retort.

Immediately after, his heart stirred, and he realized something.

"What?!"

"There are still twenty thousand years left, and the ceasefire will end?!"

Chen Ku looked at Chiyou with utter astonishment and said:

He clearly remembered that before he went to Chaos, there were still seventy to eighty thousand years left until the ceasefire ended.

In other words, did he spend tens of thousands of years in Chaos?!

How could that be possible?!

Could Chiyou be joking?!

But seeing Chen Ku's shocked expression, Chiyou nodded without hesitation.

"Exactly!"

"Isn't this known to all beings?!"

Chiyou countered Chen Ku with a strange expression.

One must know that nowadays all beings in heaven and earth are secretly calculating the day the ceasefire ends.

Could Chen Ku possibly misremember such an important matter?!

How long has this guy been absent from the world?!

Not only Chiyou, but also the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden beside him nodded, indicating that Chiyou's words were true.

Seeing this, Chen Ku immediately fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he gradually came to realize.

"It seems the flow of time in that Chaos secret realm is completely different from that of the Primordial World."

"One day in heaven, one year on earth — that's exactly the principle......"

Chen Ku thought to himself.

Only this explanation makes sense.

"One day in heaven, one year on earth!"

Although this saying is from later generations, it fits perfectly when applied to the earlier Chaos secret realm.

Chen Ku also couldn't help but marvel again at the extraordinary wonder of the Chaos secret realm.

Obviously, therein lies a more profound and mysterious temporal law that alters the flow of time.

And he had noticed nothing of it beforehand.

"So that's how it is......"

"This... good thing I didn't continue exploring Chaos and instead returned promptly."

"Otherwise, trouble would be great."

Chen Ku sighed in awe.

If he missed the Wu-Demon final battle, who knows how great the loss would be.

Or put another way, if he weren't present in this world, the human race might possibly be drawn in and suffer catastrophe.

In short, Chen Ku absolutely cannot miss the final battle of the Wu-Demon Great Calamity.

After a long while, Chen Ku finally calmed his inner turmoil.

Just then, Chiyou spoke again.

"Please, Senior Chen Ku, judge between us!"

"Since the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did that, we swear to subdue and slay her here — isn't that justified?"

Unbeknownst to them, Chiyou and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden had already come to regard Chen Ku as the arbiter of right and wrong.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ku also came back to his senses.

Chen Ku nodded.

"Demons rule heaven, Wu rule earth!"

"Such consideration by the Wu Clan is also not blameworthy."

Chen Ku nodded, agreeing with Chiyou's statement.

As all beings know, after the Grand Harmony Dao Ancestor initially set the ceasefire of one cosmic cycle, he also commanded demons to rule heaven and Wu to rule earth.

Therefore, the Wu Clan absolutely forbids any Demon Race from appearing on the Primordial Earth, thereby demonstrating Wu authority — which is also reasonable.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, the Nine Heavens Profound Lady on the other side's expression changed.

Could it be that Chen Ku intends to side with the Wu Clan?!

Before she could speak, Chen Ku seemed to have also discerned her thoughts, and continued:

"However... the Nine Heavens Profound Lady's actions are also motivated by good intentions."

"If what she says is true, those beings have not been tainted by the karma of the Wu-Demon conflict, are indeed innocent, and do not deserve to be killed."

Upon saying that,

The Nine Heavens Profound Lady's previously dim eyes suddenly brightened.

"Exactly, exactly!"

Chen Ku's words also seemed to be aimed at himself.

Immediately, the Nine Heavens Profound Lady spoke urgently:

"Senior Chen Ku, every word I spoke is true!"

"If you don't believe me, senior, you can see for yourself."

Saying this, the Nine Heavens Profound Lady pointed to the other side.

Only then did Chen Ku notice that the beings Chiyou had mentioned, whom the Nine Heavens Profound Lady had rescued, were now standing on the other side outside the arena.

As far as the eye could see, they were densely packed, numbering several tens of thousands.

Strangely, the beings were divided into two races.

One race had human bodies with ox heads, each bearing two horns.

The other race had human bodies with horse faces.

At first glance, it was utterly unfathomable and extremely strange.

If one didn't know, one might think they had not yet completed their transformation.

However, upon seeing this, Chen Ku was stunned.

"Ox heads and horse faces?!"

"It's actually them?!"

He muttered to himself, then couldn't help but laugh.

Before this, I had thought they were beings of some demon race origin.

But upon seeing this, isn't it just a coincidence?!