Chapter 222: The Whereabouts

“You seem different from just now.”

Pan rose up, glancing at Lu Fang with a string of cold laughs: “But if that’s all you’ve got, defeating me is impossible.”

As it spoke, it extended a hand, and the precious essence of the Demon Sovereign materialized in its palm—in an instant, its eyes turned blood-red.

It seems the Demon Sovereign’s essence isn’t just a guide to the seal’s location; after all, it’s a supreme treasure, surely possessing some powerful ability.

So far, the essence’s ability appears to be a massive boost to Pan’s strength.

Seeing Pan’s demonic aura now surge like smoke into the sky, Lu Fang didn’t hesitate—he immediately activated the Supernatural Power: Conceal Heaven and Deceive Earth. In an instant, he transformed into a giant dozens of zhang tall.

Perfect!

After briefly gaining the power of the Demon Heart, his transformation state using the Supernatural Power: Conceal Heaven and Deceive Earth was vastly different from before.

The two locked eyes, murderous intent flaring—both wanted to kill the other swiftly, and both believed they had the strength to do so.

With two roars, Lu Fang and Pan became two streaks of light, entangling each other; their speed was so great, their clash was invisible.

Only the occasional spray of blood mist allowed a rough guess: one of them must be severely wounded.

After fifteen minutes of relentless exchange.

Plop!

A blood-red sphere fell to the ground—the very essence of the Demon Sovereign.

Simultaneously, a streak of light crashed heavily onto the earth; when the glow faded, Pan emerged, drenched in blood, his expression listless.

Another, larger streak landed calmly beside the Demon Sovereign’s essence, revealing Lu Fang’s figure—he reached out, and the essence on the ground flew into his hand.

The fierce battle had left him unscathed.

Compared to Pan’s near-death state, Lu Fang was merely slightly breathless; after consuming some scholarly qi, his condition was fully restored.

The power of the Demon Heart was even stronger than he’d imagined—he had merely used bare fists and feet to utterly suppress Pan, a fourth-rank demon, who moreover possessed the Demon Sovereign’s essence.

“Who are you? Such a powerful demon should be well-known—you shouldn’t be someone I’ve never heard of.”

Pan spoke weakly.

He simply couldn’t understand why a demon would disguise itself as a human, then attack him just as he was locating the seal.

He was already among the top of fourth-rank demons, let alone with the Demon Sovereign’s essence—overwhelming him with sheer power was exceedingly difficult, a feat only a handful of demon prodigies could achieve.

Lu Fang smiled faintly, tossing the Demon Sovereign’s essence in his hand. He had forgotten to remove his disguise and demonic aura, and had fought Pan using momentum rather than righteous qi, so Pan had no idea he was human.

“Take another look—who am I?”

He raised an eyebrow and removed all his disguises.

Upon seeing Lu Fang’s true face and true strength, Pan’s eyes bulged; his lips trembled: “Impossible… how could this be? You’re a sixth-rank, third-stage Confucian scholar…”

Already severely wounded and dazed, Pan was now utterly confused—he even wondered if this was some absurd dream.

Was it the golden light from the seal, or the ancient alien race, that had conjured this illusion?

“Azure Dragon Veils the Moon Slash!”

As Lu Fang shouted, a blade of light slashed forward like a storm, obliterating all resistance; time itself seemed to slow—Pan’s pupils shrank as the blade drew nearer.

Plop!

The blade cleaved Pan cleanly in half.

Lu Fang watched the unclaimed aura rise from Pan’s corpse, and a smile spread across his face—he’d expected to spend time defeating it, but it had been this easy.

He collected the basketball-sized unclaimed aura, tossed Pan’s corpse into his storage bag; this time alone, from the storage bags of both Xie and Pan, two fourth-rank great demons, he had gained vast quantities of ore, crystal stones, and myriad-path stones.

Not to mention the countless scattered refining materials and rare herbs and elixirs.

This time, his gains were substantial.

Lu Fang shrank from his giant form back into Pan’s appearance; now, using this identity, he could do far more.

Having finished, he turned his attention to the Demon Sovereign’s essence.

Since the moment he obtained it, he had constantly heard the Demon Heart urgently demanding it—and he had faintly sensed a pulling force, trying to seize the essence.

That force was from the Demon Heart—he was certain.

“It seems without my help, you can’t absorb the pure demonic qi within the Demon Sovereign’s essence,” Lu Fang said, in high spirits.

The Demon Heart chuckled: “I’ve fulfilled all my promises to you—so shouldn’t you help me absorb the demonic qi inside? Only then can I raise your realm, allowing you to better handle the current situation.”

Lu Fang asked: “What must I do for you to absorb the Demon Sovereign’s essence?”

The Demon Heart replied: “Simple. Just press it against your chest or abdomen, keep it as an unclaimed object for fifteen minutes, and I can begin absorbing its demonic qi. Don’t worry—I’ll finish quickly, and it won’t waste your time.”

“Not now,” Lu Fang refused.

The Demon Heart pressed urgently: “Are you going back on your word? I—”

Lu Fang cut him off impatiently: “I gave you my word—I won’t renege. But you can’t absorb the essence now—I still need it to maintain this disguise.”

In truth, this was merely an excuse.

Disguising himself as Pan didn’t require the Demon Sovereign’s essence—but he didn’t want the Demon Heart absorbing its vast demonic qi, not knowing what new abilities it might awaken.

This seal site was already a headache—he didn’t want the Demon Heart meddling here.

The Demon Heart fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said: “Can I trade Song Ce’s whereabouts for immediate absorption of the Demon Sovereign’s essence?”

Song Ce’s whereabouts?

Lu Fang frowned: “Earlier I noticed something odd—you wouldn’t answer when I asked if you sensed Song Ce. What is he doing?”

The Demon Heart said gravely: “For some reason, that boy went to the very back of the hundred sealed palaces. He seems deeply interested in the final palace.”

“He’s probably trying to use some secret technique to release the strongest ancient alien race.”

“That’s why I’m so desperate to absorb the Demon Sovereign’s essence—to raise your power. Only then can you survive the coming dangers.”

Song Ce is using a secret technique to release the strongest ancient alien race!

Lu Fang’s head buzzed—he had thought defeating Pan and seizing the essence would shatter the demon barbarians’ plan, but now he learned Song Ce was doing something far more dangerous.