Chapter 170: Fatal Temptation, Battle on the Brink

When love cannot be perfect, I am willing to pray. If, in that prayer, I see two meteors tearing through the sky—those are our karmic cycles. For that love, we will suffer eternally; for its protection, we will be separated for thousands of years; for that belief, we will sink through three lifetimes. But that is not the limit. I know—the closest thing is the connection between hearts.

Faced with the helplessness of the world, I still bear three thousand troubles. In this war that desecrates true love, you are my longing. I am willing to sacrifice myself for this life, even for its destruction. I am willing to break free from my constraints and fly with you. Yet—even in the face of the world, even gods fall, and I am helpless.

Liu Yi suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, “No…” In his dream, the words of the celestial maiden echoed. His outstretched hand remained suspended in midair, but her figure had already vanished. He knew he could never forget her. Too many memories brought him sweetness and pain; too many nightmares brought him happiness and sorrow. Too many reasons made him willing to suffer through three lifetimes for her.

Liu Yi gently stroked the long sword on his legs, shaking his head helplessly and sighing, “The ‘Sorrowful Dream’ Sword is so sharp, yet it cannot cut through my countless ties of affection. Does her figure only appear in dreams? Why can’t those who love each other be together? Has Gillier really forgotten me?”

Liu Yi’s heart was in turmoil. He left his bedroom and went to the back of the grand hall. Through the special window, he saw snowflakes swirling outside, the cold wind carrying sorrow, as if telling of the loneliness at the top of Tian Shan. Once again, the image of the celestial maiden appeared in his mind. A voice born from his heart said, “Are you well now? You must be very happy by his side…” Liu Yi thought of Gillier at that moment.

Just then, a voice behind him said, “Lord Demon, it’s so late yet you still haven’t rested.”

Liu Yi turned. Behind him stood the Wolf King. Liu Yi smiled faintly and said, “Hehe,” but didn’t reply. Who could know or understand the pain in his heart?

The Wolf King looked at Liu Yi and asked, “Lord Demon, are you thinking of Gillier?”

Liu Yi nodded without speaking.

The Wolf King continued, “Don’t worry, Lord Demon. There must be a way to make Gillier recognize you again.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Thank you, teacher. By the way, it’s so late—why haven’t you slept either?”

The Wolf King replied, “I’m worried about these three realms. The Nine Nether Demon God is a formidable figure. Now that he’s involved, he surely aims to take control of these realms. He’s already started acting—who knows what greater schemes lie ahead?”

Liu Yi nodded and asked, “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Please advise me, teacher.”

The Wolf King replied, “Please speak, Lord Demon.”

Liu Yi asked, “Since the Nine Nether Demon God has the power to destroy the world, why hasn’t he done it yet?”

The Wolf King replied, “I’m not entirely sure about that. But great masters are often lonely. If the Nine Nether Demon God really killed everyone in the world, what would be left by his side? I want to ask you, Lord Demon—what do you think is the most terrifying thing in the world?”

Liu Yi thought for a moment, then turned to look at the snow falling outside the window and said, “It must be loneliness.”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Perhaps. The Nine Nether Demon God can think; he has everything that humans have. If he really destroys this world, all that will remain by his side is loneliness. For him, what could be more painful than that?”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “If that’s the case, the Nine Nether Demon God’s plan is clearly to devour the three realms, just like Ao Tian, aiming to become a ruler.”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Yes, but his intentions are sinister. Now he’s using July to threaten you into eliminating the Demon Path—clearly he’s reaping the benefits. We must be cautious around him.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “The teacher is right. Perhaps he is our greatest enemy. But even if he didn’t threaten us like this, I would still have to eradicate the Demon Path. This hatred isn’t just a matter of this lifetime.”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Hmm. But we need to plan carefully, to eliminate the Demon Path with minimal loss and as quickly as possible, so we can retain our strength to deal with future enemies.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “The teacher makes sense. If I’m not mistaken, the Nine Nether Demon God won’t focus only on the Demon Path, because the forces of the righteous path in the human world are also strong. So, he must be plotting how to eliminate them as well.”
The Wolf King looked at Liu Yi with admiration and said, “Yes. If I were him, I wouldn’t act unilaterally either. Ah… it seems a bloodshed is coming to the three realms.”
Liu Yi paused and said, “This is inevitable. This is the world of martial arts—there are knives and swords. If they want to survive, they must pick up knives and swords. Victory belongs to the strong; the world of martial arts is very realistic.”
Listening to Liu Yi’s words, the Wolf King felt as though the person before him was constantly changing. Did Liu Yi’s heart now hold only hatred? It seems that only through bloodshed can one grow in this world of martial arts.
Liu Yi continued, “Teacher, our current target is the demon race. But… what should we do?”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Return to the Demon Lord. I already have a plan. What we need to do now is wait. Since the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ has appeared, we just need to spread the news. The people of the three realms will immediately fall into chaos, and that’s when we’ll strike. So for now, all we need to do is wait patiently.”
Liu Yi nodded and turned back to gaze at the snow outside…
…
Seven days later, the Netherworld—Tianji Star Palace
“How dare he! That Su Shao is really too much.” Lan Ying stood tall, slamming the table in anger.
At that moment, Li Ling was below, looking at Lan Ying and saying, “This isn’t as simple as just one Su Shao. I suspect… there’s someone else behind him.”
Lan Ying nodded and said, “Yes. When he came to negotiate with me, he had two leaders of the ghost race with him. You know, the ghost race and our Netherworld have never interfered with each other. Since they’ve come after us now, and Su Shao can control the ghost race, I think… there must be a reason behind this.”

Li Ling nodded and said, “Brother Lan, please explain what happened in detail. Ling still doesn’t quite understand.”
Lan Ying nodded and replied, “It was three days ago. I was in the back garden when I had no idea how that Su Shao got in. Behind him was the Ghost Clan’s leader, Death and Guardian, who had been missing for years. They also captured my sister. I was furious—I never expected that kid to use my sister to threaten me.”
Li Ling asked curiously, “What were their conditions?”
Lan Ying continued, “They demanded that I eliminate the six major sects of the righteous path within a month. If I succeeded, they would release my sister. But if I failed, Lan Ren would be in danger.”
Hearing this, Li Ling thought for a moment and said, “Su Shao is very mysterious. Few people in the three realms possess his level of power. I first met him in Fengdu Ghost City… thinking he was just a young man there for fun, but now he controls the Ghost Clan, Fengdu Ghost City, and the entire Ghost Clan. Oh, if I’m not mistaken, Su Shao must be the Nine Nether Demon God.”
Lan Ying frowned upon hearing this and asked, “The Nine Nether Demon God?”
Li Ling nodded. “Yes. The Nine Nether Demon God awoke last time but failed to break the seal in the divine realm. For the first time, the righteous and the demonic realms allied to create a divine arrow, aiming to seal him again. The one responsible for entering Fengdu Ghost City to seal him was Liu Yi from the demonic realm. But… I found something strange, so I went to Fengdu Ghost City later to investigate. There, I discovered that divine arrow. Clearly, the Nine Nether Demon God has broken free from the seal and come to the human realm. And Su Shao’s body is actually the Nine Nether Demon God. If that’s the case, it makes perfect sense.”
Lan Ying nodded and murmured to himself, “No wonder that kid has such power. I’ve seen descriptions of the Nine Nether Demon God in theNether realm’s scriptures. He is the embodiment of all evil in the world, born from souls that cannot reincarnate. He possesses the power to destroy the world. And now it seems he’s even more interested in these three realms.”
Li Ling nodded and said, “War between the three realms is imminent. I wonder what Brother Lan plans to do.”
Lan Ying thought for a while and replied, “Survival of the fittest—that’s the law. I must protect my sister’s safety. So, I intend to challenge the righteous path.”
Upon hearing this, Li Ling quickly stood up and said, “Brother Lan, please reconsider. We are individuals, but the martial world is vast. If a conflict really breaks out, I fear the martial world will be filled with corpses and bloodshed.”
Lan Ying looked at Li Ling and smiled. “Brother Ling, you’ve been in the martial world for a hundred years. You should know the laws of these three realms. This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. If they can’t adapt, they should disappear early. Besides, even if I don’t challenge the righteous path, will the Nine Nether Demon God spare them?”
Hearing Lan Ying’s words, Li Ling slowly sat back down. Yes, Lan Ying was right. Even if he didn’t act, the Nine Nether Demon God would. Since the Nine Nether Demon God had already gotten involved, he wouldn’t back down easily.

Lan Ying continued, “But… I think I’m just a tool being used by the Nine Nether Demon God. He is the real mastermind, plotting everything from behind the scenes. If I’m not mistaken, the Nine Nether Demon God must have already taken action on the demonic side as well. I just don’t know who my true enemy is.”

Li Ling listened to Lan Ying’s words without responding, only sighing inwardly at the futility of fate. Sometimes, one clearly knows they are just a tool for someone else, yet still willingly agrees to play that role…

However, Lan Ying had his own plans. He was sent to the Three Realms to restore the Netherworld to its former glory. An accident made him fall in love with Jillie, delaying the plan by ten years. Now, he finally had an excuse, a reason, to challenge the righteous path.

Since the Nine Nether Demon God had taken his sister as leverage to threaten him, he would use this situation to unite the righteous forces. Even if the Nine Nether Demon God’s intentions were evil, he still had the King of the Netherworld behind him. As long as the righteous forces in the human world were united, no matter how evil the Nine Nether Demon God became, someone would surely deal with him.

As Lan Ying thought about this, a smile appeared on his face—a sinister smile…

The Eternal City fought against the four major demonic sects, while the Tianji Xinggong clashed with the six major righteous sects. Meanwhile, the Nine Nether Demon God of the ghost race secretly controlled everything. Regardless of the outcome, this chaotic world would lose many skilled warriors. Liu Yi, Lan Ying, Su Shao, and the Nine Nether Demon God—all had their own plans in mind. In the world of martial arts, one often had no choice.

Just as Lan Ying was planning how to challenge the righteous forces, a shadow flashed, and a Nether Warrior appeared in the grand hall. Kneeling down, he said, “Your Majesty, rumors from the Three Realms say that the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ from the Divine Realm has reappeared.”

Hearing the Nether Warrior’s report, Lan Ying stood up abruptly, repeating the words “Heavenly Chapter” over and over, his face filled with longing and greed. He seemed extremely excited and asked, “Where did you get this news?”

The Nether Warrior replied, “I’m not entirely sure. It’s just a rumor. Some people claim to have seen the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ with their own eyes. I believe this news is very important, so I came to report it to Your Majesty.”

Lan Ying suddenly burst into laughter. “Heaven itself is helping me! You may go.”

As Lan Ying spoke, the Nether Warrior transformed back and disappeared from the grand hall.

Li Ling, curious, asked, “Brother Lan, what exactly is this ‘Heavenly Chapter’?”

Lan Ying sat down again and said, “The elders of our clan have records of it, and it also appears in a story. There are two most powerful mental techniques in the world. One is the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ created by Pangu in the Divine Realm, and the other is ‘Lanalfina Qing’ possessed by the True Demon Nirvana. Neither of these techniques is flawless.”

“But in my opinion, the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ is superior to ‘Lanalfina Qing’. Since it was created by Pangu after ‘Lanalfina Qing’, it must be stronger than it.”

Li Ling asked, “Since Brother Ru Lan said so, it’s strange. I’ve rarely heard stories about Pangu and the Nie people. It must be a story from seven thousand years ago. And this ‘Chapter of Heaven’ should have appeared a thousand years ago. Why is it appearing now?”
Lan Ying replied, “Brother Ling, you don’t know everything. This ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was created by Pangu using the power of all the gods, granting it supreme power. But on the day of its creation, for some unknown reason, it fell to the mortal world and disappeared forever. No one has mentioned this story since then. Pangu and the gods also fell into slumber after the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ disappeared, which is why there has been no news.”
Li Ling nodded and said, “I see. But… since the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ has been missing for a thousand years and now it has reappeared, could it be a conspiracy?”
Lan Ying nodded and said, “As you put it, Brother Ling, that’s possible. But it’s better to assume it exists than to assume it doesn’t. I’ll still hurry to investigate this matter.”
Li Ling nodded without saying anything. Thus, the two of them fell into deep thought in that vast hall…
But each of them was thinking of different things, all related to the ‘Chapter of Heaven’.
Li Ling wondered why the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ appeared at this time. In his mind, it seemed more like a conspiracy. The legend of the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was so tempting—it was a deadly weapon for anyone in the martial world. Who didn’t want to be the best in the world, to rule supreme? If one could obtain the ‘Chapter of Heaven,’ such dreams would become reality soon. But if this suddenly appearing ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was real, how much killing would it bring? How much sorrow would it cause in the world? Would swords and blood, knives and fire, lead to some kind of purification? When would ignorant humans realize their own ugliness?
Meanwhile, Lan Ying was thinking of another issue. In his heart, there was only power and desire. He was the second Ao Tian, but he had more than Ao Tian—he had a love that didn’t belong to him: his attachment to Jillier.
Whether the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was real or not, it would be an absolute advantage to him. Greedy people, whether good or evil, would react to the ‘Chapter of Heaven’. At that time, he could surely use his strength to eliminate the chaos in the world’s righteous forces. And if the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was real, he would definitely have to obtain it. Who didn’t want to be the best in the world? The ‘Chapter of Heaven’ was the shortcut to becoming the best. Especially for someone as ambitious and selfish as Lan Ying—only by obtaining the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ could he keep Jillier by his side, even if it meant killing Liu Yi.
Everything was under the control of the Nine Nether Demon God. The only surprise was the appearance of the ‘Chapter of Heaven’. Now, the Demon Realm and the Netherworld had become pawns of the Nine Nether Demon God. Although they had a mutually beneficial relationship, upon closer analysis, the Nine Nether Demon God still held the initiative. The war between the three realms was imminent…