Chapter 174: Out of Hate and Love, Trapped in a Web of Deceit
As the demonic energy kept pouring in, the entire sky turned blood-red. Within that fierce hurricane, it seemed as though the world itself was being redefined. With Liu Yi’s loud shout, the sword emitted a dazzling red light that spread rapidly. The red glow merged with the sky, as if conveying the bloodshed and sins of the human world…
A dragon roar followed, and a colossal blood-red dragon soared into the sky. Its scales reflected the red light as it circled high above. With its blood-red eyes filled with supreme power, it looked down on everyone below. The Dragon Emperor hovered above Liu Yi and his companions.
At the appearance of the Dragon Emperor, the two fire phoenixes seemed to encounter something terrifying and fled back to the towers on either side, spreading their wings and perching there. In an instant, the Dragon Emperor’s aura as the ruler of all beasts overwhelmed everyone present, including the two fire phoenixes.
With the Dragon Emperor’s arrival, the leader instinctively stepped back two steps. As fellow beasts, they were well aware of such a dominant presence. As the Dragon Emperor’s red eyes swept over them, fear could be seen in the leader’s eyes—everyone at the Heavenly Dragon Altar shared that same fear.
Although the Dragon Emperor had been dead for ten thousand years, it remained the first guardian beast created by Pangu and the most powerful one. Even though it no longer existed, its shadow still lingered in the hearts of the beasts.
The Wolf King glanced at the Dragon Emperor circling above and stepped forward, saying, “The one you should obey is not the Heavenly Dragon, but the true strongest guardian— the Dragon Emperor. I’m giving you time to decide: first, continue to follow the Heavenly Dragon and fight us; second, leave the Heavenly Dragon Altar and submit to the Demon Realm—Eternal City.” Though his words were brief, his voice was loud enough that everyone at the altar could hear him.
At that moment, the White Tiger also stepped forward and said, “Listen up, you bastards! If it weren’t for the fact that you’re beasts, I’d have wiped you out long ago. If you still dare to resist, then the three major sects of the demons will serve as your example.” Clearly, the White Tiger wasn’t as composed as the Wolf King, his words rough and threatening.
The appearance of the Dragon Emperor had already scattered the minds of those at the Heavenly Dragon Altar. Now, with the Wolf King’s firmness and the White Tiger’s bluntness, their words were both clear and leave room for negotiation. For a while, the people at the altar began whispering among themselves, seemingly discussing their options. The leader at the entrance also seemed to be thinking carefully.
Anyone at the Heavenly Dragon Altar could see the strength of the others. Not to mention those riding the Celestial White Tigers and Earthly Fiend Wolves, even the four guardian beasts were beyond their control. Moreover, the intimidating aura emitted by the Dragon Emperor in the sky made them lose any desire to resist. At best, they might be able to hold out briefly, but such resistance would be futile. How could they possibly defeat such a formidable foe?
Time passed slowly, yet it slipped away in that silence. Clearly, the Tianlong Altar was well aware of the current situation, and the leader was also pondering. Liu Yi kept watching their movements. He wasn’t thinking about what was happening right now—conquering the Tianlong Altar was only a matter of time. The key was the leaders of the four major sects of the demon race. Liu Yi was also planning his next move.
At that moment, the Wolf King spoke up, “I wonder if you’ve made up your minds. If you insist on resisting, I think you all know what the consequences will be.”
The Wolf King’s words were clearly a final warning to the people of the Tianlong Altar. Seeing their expressions, he smiled confidently. After his words, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Life and death hinged on their decision. If they said “no,” war would begin immediately.
Everyone fell silent, while the Wolf King and the White Tiger began to move their Earth Fiend Wolves and Sky Light White Tigers, preparing for their response. As time passed, the tension here became suffocating.
Just then, the leader threw his sword aside and said, “Open the gates.” The sword hitting the ground signified their surrender. Immediately afterward, all the archers lowered their arrows. After all, these monsters were already afraid of divine beasts. They understood that resistance was futile. Faced with such overwhelming strength, they had only one choice…
Liu Yi glanced around and said, “White Tiger, Qi, and Lin, go in and count these people. Those who want to submit should follow us; those who don’t can leave. Then set fire to this place. My teacher and I still have things to discuss.”
“Yes,” replied the White Tiger, Qi, and Lin, as they headed inside the Tianlong Altar.
Liu Yi and the Wolf King went outside instead. Looking at the blood-red sky, Liu Yi sighed and said, “It’s begun…”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Yes, the real calamity has started now.”
Liu Yi asked, “Does my teacher know what’s on my mind?”
The Wolf King replied, “If I’m not mistaken, the Demon Lord is thinking about how to deal with the leaders of the four major sects.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Yes, the next step is to deal with those leaders of the demon race.”
The Wolf King continued, “I do have an idea, but… I’m not sure if I should say it.”
Liu Yi replied, “Say it.”
The Wolf King continued, “We could eliminate the four major sects of the demon race in just one night and wipe out their remaining forces. I think, with such speed, the demon leaders won’t even realize anything’s happening. As long as we keep pressing forward while they’re still reeling, things should go much more smoothly.”
Liu Yi thought for a moment before replying, “So what does my teacher mean? Should we go to Fengdu Ghost City and eliminate the demon leaders?”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. But… the demons left are mostly leaders and guardians. They’re probably fighting desperately in Fengdu Ghost City right now. After all, obtaining the ‘Chapter of Heaven’ is far more valuable than forming an alliance. If I’m not mistaken, Fengdu Ghost City must be in chaos right now.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Mm, perhaps the teacher is right. With Aotian’s greed, he would never stay with those allies. If there’s any conflict during the struggle for the ‘Heavenly Chapter,’ I think Aotian certainly won’t care about his allies. He’s willing to use even his own daughter—so I imagine he won’t hesitate to kill a few allies competing with him.”
The Wolf King smiled and nodded, saying, “It’s not just Aotian. Faced with the temptation of the ‘Heavenly Chapter,’ I think anyone would lose their humanity. Having the ‘Heavenly Chapter’ means having power and strength—who would think of others? Their greed and desires will surely lead them to fight among themselves.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “If things go as we expect, we can hide in the shadows and observe their struggle. Then, when they’re weakened, we can reap the benefits. But… this time we’re dealing with swordsmen experts, and if there are too many people in the shadows, it might cause more trouble.”
The Wolf King nodded and said, “Mm, the Demon Lord is right. Too many people will indeed cause trouble. This time, I think it’s enough if I, the White Tiger, and you go. Qi and Lin can take the rest back to Eternal City as a precaution.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Okay, that works. The teacher, take me to get ready. We need to reach Fengdu Ghost City before dark.”
The Wolf King nodded in response, “Yes.” Then he turned and went back, starting to assign Qi and Lin to take the rest back to Eternal City…
Liu Yi sat down gently, leaning against a nearby tree. His long sword lay beside him as he watched the red clouds slowly disperse. For a moment, he felt extremely tired. The killings throughout the night had satisfied his hatred. Now, all he had to do was continue to vent that hatred endlessly. Looking back on recent events, it seemed like a dream. After staying in the fairyland for fifteen years, he felt as if he had truly aged, yet he couldn’t let go of the mundane world. Seeing the blood on his body, Liu Yi suddenly smiled…
Yes, this was the path he had to take—a path destined for him. He was a demon, an undeniable fact. He didn’t resent ‘Sorrowful Dream’ for restoring his memories. He only hated those who tried to stop him. Why? What he wanted was simple—just simple love, a simple life. But why did people still try to stop him? For that simple love, he wrote new laws with blood, reshaped the destiny of a demon with his own body, and used piles of bones as a warning to those who had tried to stop him. He had no way to retreat, but he had no regrets or hatred…
……
The Ghost Clan — House of Death
This was the world of the Ghost Clan, a race that excelled at hiding. On the second floor of the House of Death, Su Shao sat on a chair, resting his chin in his hands, lost in thought. It was simple—there was a woman across from him, and that woman was Lan Ren. Lan Ren’s hands were tied to what appeared to be a tattered yet incredibly strong wall with some unknown substance.
At that moment, Lan Ren also stared at Su Shao with her large blue eyes, complaining angrily, “Why did you capture me?”
Su Shao shook his head and said, “I didn’t do anything.”
Lan Ren grew angry: “If I’m not doing anything, then let me go quickly! Tell my brother—I’ll kill you with my sword!”
Su Shao looked at this spoiled girl and found her even cuter, smiling foolishly. “Wait a moment. If there are no problems, you can go back in a day or two.”
Lan Ren became even angrier. “You scoundrel! Wait for it!”
Su Shao didn’t continue talking to her. He knew it was useless to say more. He turned and headed downstairs. Although Lan Ren kept shouting behind him, “You bastard! Come back! Come back…”, Su Shao kept walking down. In the hall below, he sat back down on that broken chair.
Su Shao asked the Nine Nether Demon God, “How are things going now?”
The Nine Nether Demon God replied, “The righteous path of the human world and the dark path of magic have essentially ceased to exist. The only fault lies with these people’s greed. I think the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm will soon head to Fengdu Ghost City to eradicate them completely. They won’t leave any threats for themselves.”
Su Shao asked further, “If that’s the case, won’t the leaders of the righteous and demonic paths resist? Besides, what’s left of both paths are all top experts—they’re not that easy to deal with.”
The Nine Nether Demon God smiled. “If this were under normal circumstances, it would indeed be very difficult. But with the temptation of the ‘Heavenly Chapter’, even if the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm don’t intervene, I think… the righteous and demonic paths have already suffered heavy losses. Moreover, Liu Yi and Lan Ying’s men are also hiding in the shadows, just like us, acting as hunters. I think the outcome will be clear soon.”
At that moment, a gray ghostly figure floated in and said in a mournful voice, “Reporting to the Demon God: While the righteous and demonic paths are fighting over the ‘Heavenly Chapter’, the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm have simultaneously suppressed both paths within twelve hours.”
The Nine Nether Demon God replied, “Continue to spy.”
“Yes.” The gray ghostly figure replied before floating away.
Su Shao then asked, “So, if the Nether Realm and the Demon Realm kill the remaining leaders and experts of the righteous and demonic paths, then these three realms will no longer have those ten major sects.”
The Nine Nether Demon God laughed. “Haha, yes. Soon, the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm will become the only two major sects in these three realms.”
Su Shao seemed puzzled. “But if those ten major sects disappear and the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm appear instead, isn’t it the same? Isn’t that just going through the trouble twice?”
The Nine Nether Demon God seemed annoyed. “Naive. How could it be the same? Although the ten major sects were divided into two alliances before, they could unite or separate. They were a very difficult group to eliminate. Now, with the help of the power of the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm, it will be much easier to get rid of them. Although the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm seem terrifying in the eyes of those ten major sects, in my eyes, those ten major sects are even more terrifying.”
Su Shao also grew impatient. “Stop beating around the bush. I don’t get it.”
The Nine Nether Demon God explained, “That is, I have a way to deal with the Nether and Demon Realms, but I have no way to deal with those ten major sects. Now that those ten major sects have disappeared, although the Demon Realm and the Nether Realm still exist, I do have a way to deal with them.”
Su Shao listened and then asked, “Right, then tell me about the next plan. The Demon Realm and the Netherworld are about to replace the Ten Great Sects. How do you plan to deal with them?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God replied, “This question is simple. We still need to exploit their common point.”
Su Shao asked in surprise, “Exploit a common point? Do they have one?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God said, “Yes, of course. And that common point is their fatal weakness.”
Su Shao pressed further, “Just fucking tell me! It’s like solving a riddle.”
The Nine Nether Demonic God continued, “They both love the same person—Jili’er. We just need to use Jili’er to our advantage.”
Su Shao wasn’t quite sure and asked, “Oh, now I understand why you went back to the Tianji Star Palace and brought Jili’er here.”
The Nine Nether Demonic God said, “That’s the advantage of our Ghost Clan. Haha, Lan Ying surely didn’t expect that he lost not just a sister but also his wife.”
Su Shao asked, “What do we need to do?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God replied, “We don’t need to do anything. I just need to wait and watch. Once Lan Ying and Liu Yi finish their task of eliminating the righteous and demonic forces, I’ll release July and Lan Ren. But… while releasing July and Lan Ren, we need to lock Jili’er in the room where July is and let Lan Ying see her.”
Su Shao asked, “Why?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God explained, “July’s dearest person is Liu Yi. If she finds out that Jili’er has been captured by us, do you think she won’t tell Liu Yi?”
Su Shao shook his head and said, “If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t.”
The Nine Nether Demonic God snapped, “You wouldn’t, right? But July isn’t you. She will definitely tell Liu Yi, and Liu Yi will surely rush to save Jili’er. At that time, we just need to turn a blind eye and let Liu Yi take Jili’er away.” Unexpectedly, through interacting like this, the Nine Nether Demonic God had also learned Su Shao’s vulgar language.
Su Shao asked, “Why let Liu Yi save Jili’er?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God replied, “Why so many ‘whys’? Use your brain. Jili’er is now Lan Ying’s wife, and she still doesn’t acknowledge Liu Yi. So we can manipulate Jili’er. Besides, if Lan Ying comes and finds that Jili’er has left with Liu Yi, what will he do?”
Su Shao said, “Hmm, in his panic, Lan Ying might head to the Demon Realm. But… how can you be sure that Liu Yi will arrive first? What if Lan Ying gets there first?”
The Nine Nether Demonic God shook his head helplessly and continued, “Are you born from a pig? I’ll release July first. After Liu Yi saves Jili’er, I’ll release Lan Ren. Who do you think will arrive first?”
Su Shao nodded and said, “Hmm, that makes sense. But with Liu Yi’s cultivation level, I think it’s hard for Lan Ying to take Jili’er back from him.”
The Nine Nether Demonic God smiled and said, “That’s the key to the plan. We not only need to use July and Lan Ren but also Jili’er. Jili’er still thinks Lan Ying is the real Liu Yi. So we can use Jili’er and Lan Ying to deal with the real Liu Yi. By then, the Demon Realm will exist in name only, with only the Netherworld left. We can then come up with another plan to take control. Soon, this world will belong to us.”
Su Shao nodded and said, “You’re really a old fox, quite smart too, haha. But… will Jillie listen to you?”
The Nine Nether Demon God replied, “That’s where your naivety lies. Of course she won’t listen to me. But everyone has a heart, and everyone has weaknesses. Jillie’s weakness is her excessive belief in love. If we play our cards right here, as long as I hit the right notes, I think she’ll definitely do what we want her to do.”
Su Shao nodded and said, “It’s good, but… I feel it might be a bit cruel. It seems like we’re doing something evil.”
The Nine Nether Demon God continued, “There’s no such thing as cruelty or not. As long as you become the king of this world, no one will remember what you’ve done. You must understand that behind success always lies a price, one that’s hard to describe.”
Su Shao nodded. He knew he didn’t want to do such things, but what else could he do? Who had ever thought of him? In this cruel world, to achieve his desires, he had to be even more cruel.
The story progressed little by little, their fates intertwining. At this moment, Liu Yi and Lan Ying had become two pawns of the Nine Nether Demon God. Perhaps they both understood and thought they were using each other, but only the Nine Nether Demon God truly understood, for he was the real controller. With the downfall of both the righteous and the demonic forces, the Nine Nether Demon God’s next target was Liu Yi.