Chapter 277: The Demon (Part 2)
"But... I'm worried about you... That's the Fen Tian Gate... How about... how about you hide in the imperial palace? Even if they know you're there, they wouldn't dare to act rashly." Cang Yue clutched Yun Che's hand tightly, her voice panicked.
Yun Che smiled and shook his head. "Although Fen Juecheng was the one who provoked me first, if I think about it carefully, I haven't been avoiding these conflicts at all—on the contrary, I've been escalating them, even killing Fen Juebi... Perhaps, subconsciously, I've been creating a situation where the Fen Tian Gate would hunt me down... After all, a life of being hunted..." Yun Che let out a soft breath. He was all too familiar and accustomed to a life of being hunted.
"Sister," Yun Che suddenly changed his tone, his voice gentle, "Once this storm blows over, how about I take you home?"
"Home...?"
"Mm!" Yun Che nodded, lifting his head slightly, his eyes filled with longing. "Although I was cast out of the family, that's where I grew up. Most importantly, my grandfather and little aunt are there. Wherever they are is my home. I've been away from them for so long, and I think about returning every moment... I want to take you back with me. If they knew I'd brought back a princess as my wife, they'd be absolutely stunned."
Thinking of that possible scene, Yun Che smiled faintly. The images of his grandfather and little aunt flickered vividly before his eyes... Grandfather, Little Aunt, are you both doing well now?... Unknowingly, I've been gone for so long... Have you been bullied over there?... Locked away in that desolate back mountain, have you both grown thin?... Do you know that I miss you every single day...
Now, I finally have the strength to return. I can defeat anyone in the Xiao Sect. I will repay them a millionfold for all the suffering you've endured!!
Cang Yue was stunned for a long moment. Her gaze instantly softened as if it would melt, and her heartbeat quickened several times over. She calmed the sudden surge of nervousness and joy within her, quietly lowered her head, and let out a faint "Mm."
The Sword Control Platform came into view at that moment.
The Sword Control Platform of the Tian Jian Villa was several times larger than the Sword Discussion Platform where the ranking battles were held. Looking out, thousands of swords flew in the air above the platform, stirring up whirlwinds of sword energy both large and small. As they walked onto the platform, streaks of sword qi occasionally brushed past them, as sharp as knives cutting against the skin, causing a faint sting.
The ground of the Sword Control Platform was also studded with all kinds of swords, including a few heavy swords. The number of swords was immense, and every single one was far from ordinary—even the lowest grade was at the level of a Mystic Spiritual Artifact.
In the center of the platform, a massive pitch-black sword stood half-buried in the ground, its other half piercing straight into the clouds. The colossal blade emitted a heavy and ancient aura, involuntarily quieting the hearts of those who gazed upon it.
Ling Kun walked at the very front and stopped before this giant sword. He turned around and said, "This sword is called 'Xingtian,' and it is the sword that suppresses the demon. The demon captured a hundred years ago is sealed directly beneath this sword."
"The demon is incredibly powerful, but within the sealing formation, his power is greatly suppressed, and he can never escape. However, since it is a sealing formation, its power naturally weakens over time. Every twenty years, someone from the Tian Wei Sword Domain comes here to reinforce the sealing formation."
"The existence of this demon was originally a secret. Because what he is connected to could potentially determine the survival or destruction of the entire Tian Xuan Continent. The reason we have allowed everyone to witness his true appearance today is that, not long after the last reinforcement, his kin used a special method to bypass the blockade of the Four Sacred Grounds and entered the Tian Xuan Continent. They have been inquiring everywhere about this demon's location, intending to rescue him. They even tracked him down to the Cang Feng Empire. If the Tian Wei Sword Domain hadn't discovered them, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"Oh! From what he says, it seems that 'demon' is from outside the Tian Xuan Continent... Could he be a legendary foreigner?" Xia Yuanba widened his eyes and said.
"Very likely." Yun Che nodded slowly, listening carefully. At the same time, he thought silently, it sounds like the Four Sacred Grounds often deal with people from outside the Tian Xuan Continent. Is it possible... that they have come into contact with people from the Cang Yun Continent! And know the location of the Cang Yun Continent?
Ling Kun swept his gaze across the crowd and continued, "Today, everyone, open your eyes wide and clearly see the demon's appearance. If anyone ever asks you about someone similar in the future, you must immediately inform the Tian Jian Villa. Do not be negligent! Because that person could very well be another demon! The incident from over a decade ago is enough to prove that they have found a way to enter the Tian Xuan Continent without being detected by the Four Sacred Grounds! If this demon is rescued and regains his power, it would be enough to bring a great disaster to the Tian Xuan Continent!"
"Bring a great disaster to the Tian Xuan Continent"... These words were undoubtedly extremely shocking. What kind of existence was this demon that it could be so terrifying?
Rumble...
With a strange hand gesture from Ling Kun, a huge profound formation suddenly appeared on the ground beneath the giant sword. As the formation rotated, the massive sword slowly rose, lifting a large circular platform below it. Beneath the platform, the lower half of the sword that had not seen sunlight in twenty years was revealed.
The sword rose higher and higher, reaching several hundred zhang. At that moment, a voice like a furious demon came from below:
"Ah... ah!!!! You old dogs of the Tian Wei Sword Domain! Come to see your grandpa again, have you?... Hahahahaha... You despicable, shameless, treacherous old dogs! If you have the guts, kill me now! I'll turn into a vengeful spirit, tear your flesh apart, drink your blood, gnaw your bones, crush your entrails... drag you down to the eighteenth level of hell, to suffer the piercing of ten thousand blades and the burning of hellfire for eternity!!"
This was the most hateful voice, the most venomous curse they had ever heard in their lives. It was even more sinister and terrifying than the wailing of hellish demons... Everyone who heard this voice felt their hairs stand on end and chills crawl up their spines. They couldn't imagine how much hatred must be required to release such heaven-shaking resentment...
The Xingtian giant sword continued rising for a short while before finally stopping. The tip of the sword brought up another platform of the same size, fitting perfectly into the space that had been vacated.
What appeared before everyone's eyes was a huge, pale yellow, hemispherical barrier. Inside the barrier, at the tip of the Xingtian giant sword, dozens of thick chains tightly bound a person with long white hair. His white hair had grown down to the ground, covering half his body and half his face. His body was as skinny as a bundle of sticks, and his face was as wrinkled as a demon's. But his eyes were as terrifying as the sharpest blades in the world, radiating resentment like an abyssal hell.
"This is... the demon?"
"Sealed in a formation for over a hundred years, without food or water, and he still hasn't died. He's practically an old monster! Hiss... such a terrifying demon. Just one glance from him sends chills through my whole body."
"So... so scary." Cang Yue nervously pressed against Yun Che, half of her body shrinking behind him.
The terror in this "demon's" eyes and the weight of his resentment were beyond anything Yun Che had ever seen. Even he felt a shiver of alarm, let alone Cang Yue.
"Mo Li, what kind of person is this? Can you tell?" Yun Che probed.
Mo Li said with extreme disdain, "Just an ordinary human who is slightly stronger. A demon? Hmph, how laughable. The true 'demon race'—their terror is something you simply cannot imagine!"
Yun Che: "..."
Faced with the "demon's" venomous curses and piercing glare, Ling Kun remained expressionless and composed. "Curse all you want. Heh, do you think we don't dare to kill you? If it weren't for the fact that you still have some use, as a bargaining chip for necessary moments, you would have died hundreds of times already! Do you think we would have gone to all this trouble to let you live an extra hundred years?"
"Pah!" the "demon" sneered. "Despicable old dogs, stop dreaming! You'll never get anything out of me! I haven't died all this time because I want to see with my own eyes the day your entire clan is slaughtered by the Demon Emperor! That day won't be long now... Hahaha!"
"Hahahaha!" Ling Kun also burst into wild laughter. "It seems you truly don't understand who is dreaming. Let me tell you once more—your Demon Emperor died long ago, killed by the Sword Master of our Tian Wei Sword Domain and the Heavenly Lord of the Sun Moon Divine Palace. Your pitiful little Demon Emperor had just succeeded the throne and, underestimating his own strength, sought revenge for his father. Tch, what a miserable death. Now, the entire Huan Yao Realm is barely held together by a little Demon Empress. But unfortunately, although the little Demon Empress also has royal blood, it seems your Huan Yao Realm is not willing to be ruled by a woman. She is already too busy dealing with her own troubles... Slaughter our entire clan? Hahahaha, what an absolute joke!"
"You're full of shit!" the "demon" roared in fury. Ling Kun's words had clearly provoked him intensely, making him completely lose control. He thrashed wildly, causing the chains to clatter loudly. "Our Demon Emperor of the Huan Yao Realm is nothing that you despicable old dogs can compare to! The Demon Emperor cannot die... Impossible!! One day, he will personally slaughter every last one of you!!"
Huan Yao Realm... Demon Emperor...
These unfamiliar terms appeared frequently in their exchange, leaving Yun Che completely baffled. He looked around and saw confusion written on everyone's faces, as they whispered to each other. Only Ling Yuefeng's expression remained composed.
It seemed that "Huan Yao Realm" and "Demon Emperor" were things that only forces at the level of the Sacred Grounds were qualified to come into contact with. There was clearly a deep enmity between them and that "Huan Yao Realm."
"Hahaha, then keep on dreaming your hundred-year dream!"
Amidst mocking laughter, Ling Kun swept his hand over his Space Ring, and dozens of pale yellow crystal-like objects floated before him. Each crystal emitted a density of power so intense it made people's hearts tremble. With a wave of Ling Kun's arm, these dozens of crystals flew to different corners of the pale yellow barrier imprisoning the "demon," then slowly sank into the barrier, becoming part of its power.
Instantly, the entire barrier deepened in color and became crystalline, shimmering with a brilliant yellow light. Each of those dozens of yellow crystal-like objects contained immense sealing power. With their integration, the once-every-twenty-years stabilization of the barrier was complete.
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