Chapter 6041 - 6043
“This is… a Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard born in the Burial God Mountains!”
Ming Li whispered. “It has been devouring the death energy and ancient remnants of souls here for years, and has mutated. Its strength is comparable to a sixth-grade Upper Immortal, and its thick hide makes it extremely difficult to deal with.”
Seemingly sensing the presence of living beings, the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard slowly raised its head, its scarlet eyes locking onto Kai and Ming Li, letting out a low roar, its saliva dripping even faster.
“It’s guarding something.”
Kai’s gaze fell on the base of the statue, where a faint, eerie light flickered.
Ming Li also saw it and exclaimed excitedly, “It might be a treasure left behind by the Ghost Clan! Mr. Chen, we…”
Before he could finish speaking, the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard launched its attack!
Although it was enormous, it was incredibly fast, like a dark red lightning bolt, instantly covering dozens of feet.
Its massive tail, covered in bone spurs, swept across like a battering ram, creating a shrill whistling sound!
“Retreat!”
Kai shouted, pulling Ming Li back hastily.
Boom!
The giant tail swept across the spot where the two had just stood, blasting a large crater in the ground and sending debris flying.
The violent shockwave shook the entire stone hall, sending dust swirling down.
Missing its target, the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard became even more ferocious, unleashing a dark red death breath!
Wherever the breath passed, even space itself was corroded, cracking with fine black lines!
Kai’s eyes narrowed. This time, he didn’t dodge, but instead raised his hand and pushed forward.
Chaotic power surged forth, transforming into a gray shield in front of him.
*Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!*
The death breath struck the chaotic shield, producing a piercing corrosive sound.
But the breath, powerful enough to corrode even metal, couldn’t penetrate the chaotic power’s defense; instead, it was rapidly decomposed and devoured by the chaotic power.
A hint of confusion flashed in the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard’s crimson eyes, seemingly not understanding why its breath was ineffective.
But it didn’t stop; its massive body pounced again, its claws, bone spikes, and giant tail attacking Kai simultaneously!
“Ming Li, go retrieve the treasure. I’ll deal with it,”
Kai said calmly, his figure flashing as he proactively faced the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard.
Ming Li knew Kai’s strength and didn’t waste any words, transforming into a wisp of black smoke and stealthily heading towards the base of the statue.
Seeing that Ming Li was about to touch its treasure, the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard became even more enraged, trying to turn around and block him, but Kai had already reached it.
“Your opponent is me,”
Kai said calmly, his right hand forming a sword-like gesture, condensing chaotic power, and pointing a finger at the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard’s forehead.
This seemingly simple finger strike contained the annihilating properties of chaotic power, and its speed was as fast as lightning.
The Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard instinctively sensed danger, its head jerking sharply to the side, simultaneously raising its forepaw to strike at Kai.
*Poof!*
The chaotic finger force grazed the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard’s scalp, leaving a deep groove in its hard scales, the gray chaotic power like a bone-deep infection, eroding into its body along the wound.
“Roar!” The Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard roared in pain, its claws slamming down with even greater speed and force.
Kai neither dodged nor evaded, his left fist enveloped in chaotic energy, and he unleashed a powerful punch!
Fist and claw collided!
Boom!
A terrifying shockwave erupted from the point of impact, cracking the surrounding ground and tearing away large sections of the murals on the walls.
Kai staggered, taking three steps back.
The Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard let out a painful roar; the claws that had slammed down were now shattered, bleeding profusely, and even the bones were cracked!
Kai frowned slightly. He hadn’t expected this beast, only at the sixth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm, to possess such immense power!
If it were a sixth-rank Upper Immortal Realm cultivator, Kai’s punch would have already obliterated them! The
Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard finally showed fear in its eyes.
This seemingly insignificant human before it possessed such terrifying power!
And that gray energy could so easily break through its proud defenses!
In the instant it hesitated, Kai moved again.
This time, he held nothing back.
“Chaos, Suppress the Prison!”
Kai roared, his hands forming a seal, and the chaotic power around him surged wildly, transforming into countless gray chains that coiled around the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard like serpents!
The Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard tried to struggle, but the gray chains tightened rapidly upon contact with its body, constantly devouring the death power and life force within it.
The more it struggled, the tighter the chains tightened, and the faster they devoured it.
In just a few breaths, the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard’s struggles weakened, its aura rapidly diminished, and the ferocity in its eyes dimmed.
Kai walked up to it, looking at this enormous creature without a trace of pity.
“It’s understandable that you cultivate here by devouring remnant souls and death energy. But you shouldn’t have attacked us,”
Kai said calmly, raising his hand to press on the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard’s forehead. “Your power is mine now.”
The chaotic power surged in, and the Corpse Fiend Dragon Lizard let out a final, unwilling roar.
The massive body rapidly withered and weathered, eventually turning to ashes, leaving only a fist-sized, dark red demon core and a section of the hardest spine.
Kai put away the demon core and spine; these were excellent materials for refining weapons and pills.
At this moment, Ming Li had also retrieved the eerie treasure emitting a ghostly light from under the statue’s base.
It was a palm-sized, jet-black metal piece shaped like a token.
The token’s surface was engraved with dense ghost race characters and runes; the edges were somewhat damaged, but it still exuded a rich ghostly aura.
“This is… a fragment of the Ghost King’s Token!”
Ming Li’s hands trembled with excitement. “The Ghost King’s Token is one of the highest tokens of the Ghost Race. Holding it allows one to command parts of the Ghost Race and even open certain Ghost Race secret realms! Although it’s just a fragment, it’s priceless!”
Kai took the token fragment and examined it. It was icy cold to the touch, and the ghostly aura it contained was extremely pure, even faintly resonating with the chaotic power within his body.
“It seems this trip to the Burial God Mountains wasn’t in vain.”
Kai returned the token to Ming Li. “Since it belongs to the Ghost Clan, keep it safe. It might help you find your own kind.”
Ming Li gave Kai a grateful look and solemnly put away the token fragment.
The two searched the stone hall again, finding several broken Ghost Clan magical artifacts and some ancient materials, a considerable haul.
Leaving the stone hall, they continued westward.
The rest of the journey was relatively peaceful, although there were still dangers, but they were all within their capabilities.
Twenty days later, they finally crossed the Burial God Mountains and arrived in the Western Regions.
The scene before them made both of them frown.
Unlike the icy plains and snowy rivers of the Northern Region and the green mountains and clear waters of the Central Region, the Western Regions were an endless desert and Gobi.
Yellow sand filled the sky, and the land was barren for thousands of miles.
The scorching wind swept across like knives, stirring up clouds of dust.
The air was filled with a dry and desolate atmosphere, and the spiritual energy was thin and violent.
Occasionally, they could see some withered poplars and cacti, as well as animal bones scattered among the sand dunes.
“The Western Regions… the environment is indeed harsh,”
Ming Li sighed. “No wonder it’s called a land of exile. Surviving and cultivating here is ten times harder than in other great regions.”
Kai, however, seemed thoughtful: “The harsher the environment, the more it tempers a person. The demons who can survive here must be extraordinary.”
The two adjusted their direction and flew towards the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains as mentioned by Han Yuan Zhenren.
The deeper they went into the Western Regions, the harsher the environment became.
Sandstorms, quicksand, poisonous scorpions, sand snakes… all sorts of dangers appeared one after another.
The temperature difference between day and night was extreme; eggs could be cooked during the day, and rocks could be cracked at night.
But the two were highly skilled, and these natural dangers could not harm them.
What truly alarmed them was the increasing number of human traces, or rather, the traces of divine activity.
Three days later, beside a dried-up riverbed, they saw the first divine stronghold.
It was a simple yet heavily guarded fortress, built of thick rock. Divine warriors patrolled the walls, and several small flying boats hovered above, their detection arrays gleaming. Scattered
around the fortress were the corpses of demons, some weathered, others still fresh, clearly recently killed.
“A divine stronghold suppressing demons,”
Kai said coldly. “It seems True Immortal Han Yuan was right; the divine race is bloodily suppressing the demon rebellion.”
The two bypassed the stronghold and continued deeper.
The further they went towards the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, the denser the divine strongholds became, and the more demon corpses appeared.
A faint smell of blood permeated the air, refusing to dissipate even in the sandstorm.
Occasionally, traces of small-scale battles could still be seen: collapsed hills, scorched earth, and shattered fragments of magical artifacts…
“Mr. Chen, the situation is worse than we imagined,”
Ming Li said gravely. “The divine race’s influence here is deeply entrenched, and the demon race’s resistance is likely in dire straits.”
Kai nodded: “First, find the demon race’s resistance and understand the specific situation. Blindly acting will only expose ourselves.”
According to Han Yuan Zhenren’s map, the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains are located in the central part of the Western Regions, a vast mountain range stretching for hundreds of thousands of miles. It was once a sacred land for the demon race, but now it is a key area suppressed by the divine race.
After flying for another five days, the two finally saw the outline of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains.
It was an endless, crimson mountain range, like a giant dragon crawling on the earth.
Strange peaks rose abruptly from the mountains, jagged rocks scattered about, and some ruined buildings and ancient demon totems could be vaguely seen.
But now, many peaks had been leveled, many valleys filled in, and everywhere was the scars of battle.
Above the mountains, reconnaissance airships of the divine race circled, their probes sweeping across the ground.
“We can’t fly any further, we’ll be discovered,”
Kai whispered. The two landed, concealed their presence, and used the terrain as cover to stealthily advance deeper into the mountains.
Entering the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, the atmosphere became even more oppressive.
This place, once vibrant with life, was now deathly still.
Occasionally, they could see a few demons who had managed to survive, all wounded and terrified, hiding in caves or burrows, afraid to show themselves.
Kai and Ming Li captured several lone demons and used soul-searching techniques to gather information, finally piecing together the current situation in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains:
The Demon-Suppressing Hall, stationed in the Western Regions by the Divine Race, is led by a Demon-Suppressing Venerable at the peak of the seventh rank of the Upper Immortal Realm. Under its command are five Demon Kings, all traitors who have defected to the Divine Race, three thousand Divine Race guards, and tens of thousands of demon servants.
The demon resistance is led by the “Golden-Winged Roc King,” the “Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox,” and the “Mountain-Moving Giant Ape.”
At its peak, it had one hundred thousand demon soldiers, but after years of bloody battles, only less than thirty thousand remain, scattered and surrounded in several dangerous locations, barely clinging to life.
The Golden-Winged Roc King escaped severely injured, his whereabouts
unknown. The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox is trapped in the Illusionary Heavenly Array, its fate unknown. The
Mountain-Moving Giant Ape is suppressed under the Divine Race’s Demon-Sealing Array, suffering the torment of soul refining day and night.
The remnants of the resistance, now led by a few demon generals, are putting up a desperate fight in the Tianyao Valley, the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, but they are also in a precarious situation and could be wiped out by the gods at any moment.
“Tianyao Valley…”
Kai memorized the name, “That might be our only breakthrough.”
The two avoided the god patrols and stealthily made their way towards Tianyao Valley.
What they saw along the way was horrifying.
Burned-down demon villages, mountains of demon corpses, demon heads displayed on flagpoles… The gods were using the bloodiest methods to demonstrate their dominance, attempting to completely destroy the demons’ will to resist.
“These beasts…”
Ming Li gritted his teeth. Although he wasn’t a demon, he was a fellow race oppressed by the gods and felt their pain deeply.
Kai’s eyes were cold; he didn’t speak, but the killing intent in his heart grew stronger.
Three days later, they finally approached the Tianyao Valley area.
The terrain here was treacherous, surrounded by mountains, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
At this moment, the outer perimeter of the Heavenly Demon Valley was already completely surrounded by the divine army, leaving no room for escape.
In the sky, dozens of divine flying ships circled, forming a sealing array.
On the ground, temporary fortresses rose from the ground, with divine guards and demon servants patrolling back and forth.
Further out, there were numerous detection arrays, ready to sound an alarm at the slightest disturbance.
“The defenses are too tight; a direct assault is impossible,” Ming Li frowned.
Kai observed for a moment, then pointed to an inconspicuous mountain peak on the left side of Tianyao Valley: “There’s a weak point in the formation there. And there’s a three-breath interval between patrols. We can infiltrate within those three breaths.”
Ming Li looked closely and indeed found that the formation light near that mountain peak was dimmer than elsewhere, and the patrols were passing by at slightly longer intervals.
“Mr. Chen has excellent eyesight,” Ming Li said admiringly.
The two waited patiently until night fell.
The dark and windy night was the perfect time to infiltrate.
The moment the patrol passed the mountain peak again and turned to leave, Kai moved.
“Go!”
he shouted, his figure transforming into an almost invisible gray shadow, shooting towards the weak point in the formation! Ming Li followed closely behind.
Three breaths passed in the blink of an eye.
Like ghosts, the two successfully crossed the sealing line and entered the Tianyao Valley before the formation light reappeared.
Upon entering Tianyao Valley, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
The chilling silence outside was shattered, replaced by a tragic and tense atmosphere.
The valley was dotted with makeshift tents and fortifications, and wounded demons were everywhere, their groans, cries, and curses filling the air.
A heavy stench of medicine and blood permeated the air.
Many demon soldiers leaned wearily against rocks, their eyes filled with despair and numbness.
Occasionally, a demon general would pass by, loudly rallying morale, but with little effect.
The sudden appearance of Kai and Ming Li immediately caused a commotion.
“Who goes there?!”
“Enemy attack!”
“Protect the general!”
Dozens of demon soldiers quickly surrounded them, all wounded, but their eyes were fierce, their weapons pointed at the two.
“Don’t be nervous, we are not gods,”
Kai said calmly, releasing a wisp of chaotic aura. The ancient and vast aura startled the surrounding demon soldiers.
“Who are you? How did you get in?
” A one-eyed wolf demon general stepped forward, warily eyeing Kai.
“We’re here to help you,”
Kai said directly. “Take us to your leader.”
The wolf demon general sneered, “Help? Just the two of you? Who knows if you’re spies sent by the gods! Seize them!”
The demon soldiers were about to attack.
Just then, an old and weary voice rang out, “Stop.”
The crowd parted, and an old man with white hair and beard, leaning on a cane, slowly walked over.
He was not fully transformed, still retaining a pair of antlers on his head. His body was wrapped in bandages, and his aura was weak, but his eyes were unusually clear.
“Old Deer!” The wolf demon general quickly bowed.
The old man, called Old Deer, sized up Kai and Ming Li, lingering on Kai for a few more seconds. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: “The aura emanating from this fellow Daoist… is quite peculiar. I have lived for eight thousand years and have never seen such primal, ancient power.”
Kai’s heart stirred; this old deer demon had extraordinary eyesight.
“I am Kai, and this is my companion, Ming Li. We have crossed the Burial God Mountains to find the demon race’s resistance army and fight against the gods together,”
Kai said calmly.
“Crossed the Burial God Mountains?”
Elder Lu’s eyes flashed. “That’s a death trap; even a fifth-grade Upper Immortal has no chance of survival. The two of you who managed to cross it must be incredibly strong.”
He paused, then added, “However, how can the two of you possibly fight against tens of thousands of gods’ troops? Especially with the Demon Suppression Venerable in charge.”
Kai smiled slightly: “Many people aren’t necessarily useful. I alone once slew five Venerables of the Divine Punishment Hall.”
Upon hearing this, the entire place fell silent.
All the demons stared wide-eyed at Kai in disbelief.
The five Venerables of the Divine Punishment Hall!
Those were the highest rulers of the gods in the Eastern Region, each a top-tier expert at the seventh grade Upper Immortal level!
Slain by one person?
“You… what did you say?” Elder Lu’s voice trembled.
“I say, the five Venerables of the Eastern Region’s Divine Punishment Hall—Xuanbing, Chiyan, Qingmu, Houtu, and Gengjin—have all died by my hand.”
Kai’s tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable confidence. “Now, the entire Thirteen Heavens are after me.”
He raised his hand, and a gray sword light appeared in his palm. The annihilating aura contained within that sword light made all the demon race feel their souls tremble.
Elder Lu stared intently at the sword light for a long time, then took a deep breath and slowly knelt down: “This old man, Lu Ming, pays respects to my benefactor!”
Although the other demon race members did not understand what was going on, seeing Elder Lu kneel down, they also knelt down.
Kai was taken aback: “Elder Lu, what do you mean by this?”
Elder Lu’s eyes were filled with tears: “My benefactor, you do not know! Those five Venerables of the Divine Punishment Hall have our demon race’s blood on their hands!”
“For hundreds of years, countless demon race members have had their souls extracted and refined by them, dying without a complete corpse! My benefactor has killed them, thus avenging our demon race’s blood feud! Please accept this old man’s bow!”
As he spoke, he kowtowed heavily.
The other demons then realized what was happening and were immediately filled with excitement:
“So it’s our benefactor!”
“He killed the five Venerables and avenged us!”
“Our benefactor is above us, please accept our bow!”
Kai quickly helped Elder Lu up: “Please rise, everyone. I have a long-standing grudge against the gods, and killing them was what I should do.”
“Now, the most urgent task is to discuss how to break the current predicament and rescue our trapped demon brethren.”
Elder Lu stood up, wiped away his tears, and solemnly said: “Our benefactor, please come with me. I will take you to see our current temporary leader, the Iron-Backed Bear King.”
Under Elder Lu’s guidance, Kai and Ming Li arrived at the largest tent deep within the Heavenly Demon Valley.
Inside the tent, a black bear-like giant, over twelve feet tall and as strong as a mountain, was pacing anxiously.
He was not yet fully transformed, still retaining thick black fur on his back, his arms as thick as pillars, and his aura had reached the peak of the sixth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm.
However, he had multiple wounds on his body, the deepest of which was a diagonal cut from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, almost tearing him open. Although it was bandaged, blood was still seeping out.
This was none other than the Iron-Backed Bear King, the current temporary leader of the demon race’s resistance army.