Chapter 233 - A Sea of Blood and Mountain of Corpses, Forbidden Fate!
BOOM! Yun Xiao sheathed his sword and descended from the heavens, landing with a thud on the blood-soaked grounds of the Ancestral Temple.
As far as the eye could see, this once majestic and bustling domain of the Heavenly Realm's noble families had been reduced to ruins. Mountains of demon corpses piled high, their stench lingering in the air, unyielding.
"Shameless scoundrel!" The War Princess, fixing her hair and dress, shot Yun Xiao a glare before vanishing into the darkness.
This was because Supreme Marshal Chen Xiao and the rulers of the other four Immortal Empires were approaching Yun Xiao.
"How goes the battle?" Yun Xiao inquired.
The vastness of the Ancestral Temple was overwhelming; from above, Yun Xiao could only see the endless palaces drowned in a sea of blood.
"Nearly every demon has been slain, our losses are minimal," the Supreme Marshal reported, glancing back at the Ancestral Temple. "Of the 108 Demon Saints, most have met their end. A few remain in hiding, but we'll find them!"
"Good." Yun Xiao nodded, clearly marking a resounding victory. Then, he bowed to the four Emperors, who had been locked in combat with the high ranking demons. They were bloodied and slightly wounded. "Greetings, here are the remains of the Gu, Red Lotus, Eclipse, and Eternal Joy Demon Emperors."
Yun Xiao presented the four Emperors, the leathery carapace of a green worm, bloody red lotus petals, the fur of a black dog, and black peacock feathers. Although these were only leftover remnants and not whole corpses, they still exuded a ferocious demonic power unmistakable to the eyes.
"The four Demon Emperors are now just a part of history!" All of them—Treasure Emperor, Clear Emperor, Martial Emperor, and Desolate Emperor—received a portion of the Demon Emperors' remains, along with some of the corpses of the slain Demon Saints.
"Here's more," Yun Xiao continued, producing two arms and two legs.
"Are these... the limbs of the Violet Emperor?!" The four rulers gazed in mixed emotion at the remains of the once number one Emperor of the Divine Continent—a presence so overwhelming in their lives, now reduced to cold limbs.
"Move quickly," Yun Xiao urged, distributing the Violet Emperor's limbs. "Return to your Immortal Empires as fast as you can. Bring as many armies as possible. The Heavenly Realm needs your support!"
The bodies of the Violet Emperor and the four Demon Emperors would surely convince their people and secure their authority over their nations.
"It's a shame! We as Emperors lack the power to control our own nations. Allowing those demonic traitors to divide our people and deceive the masses!" the Treasure Emperor lamented, visibly distressed. Otherwise, their four Immortal Empires would have lent their support much sooner. Their internal politics were just as intricate, filled with characters like Ye Qingtian.
"The four Demon Emperors and 108 Demon Saints are dead! Millions of demons have fallen! The Violet Sky Immortal Army annihilated! Over 100 million demon forces decimated! Such a grand victory for humanity! If this doesn't awaken the hearts of our people and crush the pseudo demons, then it's our incompetence!" the Martial Emperor declared, sharing a knowing glance with the other three Emperors.
"If we can't mobilize the full might of our nations to wage a decisive battle against the Demon Continent, we're willing to die as penance!" The four swore an oath and hastened away, their parting words echoing in Yun Xiao's ears. "So, please have the Heavenly Realm hold on!"
The Supreme Marshal watched the four rulers leave, then turned his gaze to the demonic shadows over the Heavenly Realm, asking Yun Xiao, "Are we about to face the Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor in battle?"
The demons and false demons within the Heavenly Realm had been mostly eradicated. Now, only the dark cloud-like demonic fog and the single, most powerful corpse demon remained—a being capable of infinite possibilities.
"Yes, the final battle is upon us..." Yun Xiao furrowed his brows.
"How fares the battle above?" the Supreme Marshal asked.
"The Violet Sky Immortal Army was wiped out, but their last stand was formidable. Now, the Demon Continent's forces are probably less than 80 million," Yun Xiao reported.
That was the precise situation observed by Moon Fairy.
"Not bad at all!" The Supreme Marshal knew that if his Nine Heavens Immortal Army faced such a sudden onslaught, they wouldn't fare much better.
"These fools, with the power to fight, chose to grovel before the Demon Continent. Ridiculous," Yun Xiao commented coldly.
"In the end, they wrought their own downfall. Groveling all their lives, and in the end, they inadvertently became our greatest contributors," the Supreme Marshal said with a sarcastic chuckle. He didn't know how Yun Xiao did it, but looking at the young man now, he couldn't help but admire, "You really are a master manipulator."
"Manipulator? No." Yun Xiao shook his head. "I prefer being in the thick of battle and turning the tide with my sword." If it weren't for the internal chaos and lack of peak combatants among humanity, why bother with traps when one could strike with a single sword blow? Compared to that, he still preferred to dominate the heavens with his one sword.
But alas, with the enemy's forces pressing in, the Primordial Array gone, and the scent of blood in the air, there wasn't even time to cultivate! It was too tight! This timing was tighter than the War Princess's corset.
"Are you confident against the Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor?" the Supreme Marshal voiced his deepest concern. "It's a rare corpse demon. The more beings it kills, the stronger it becomes. War is its strength. Yet we can't refrain from slaying demons..."
Even if all the demons were slain, would it inadvertently create an invincible, undying world-ending demon? This wasn't mere speculation. Moon Fairy had already seen the almost 30 million corpses of the Violet Sky Immortal Army and demon forces absorbed by this corpse demon.
It had become a legion of corpses, one demon occupying a third of the entire demonic cloud! Such a monstrous being was truly the most terrifying threat to all living creatures!
So, Yun Xiao had no clue how to deal with Forbidden Fate. It was a step-by-step, wait-and-see game. He took a deep breath and stepped into the Ancestral Temple. Before him lay countless demon corpses, a sea of bones—a true feast for a Sword Cultivator like him. And behind him, a hundred thousand Sword Cultivators stood ready.
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Above the Heavenly Realm, Moon Fairy stood amidst the blood-soaked clouds, witnessing the birth of this world-ending monster. "Did Divine Dawn foresee this far?" he wondered.
The Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor, growing stronger with every death, human or demon alike. How could one kill such a thing? It was a pile of corpses! No wonder they said the most resentful and vengeful demons were the strongest. Like the one born out of the Sword Dao Monument.
This corpse demon, feeding on the battlefield's anger, hatred, sorrow, and brutality, was constantly transforming, breaking its own limits over and over. The potential of a resentment demon seemed limitless!
And now, Forbidden Fate had far surpassed the other four Demon Emperors. Its body was a horrifying collection of eyes, ears, mouths, noses, human hands, claws, hair, fur, bones...
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" it roared from its mouth, a horrifying amalgamation of countless mouths, emitting a chorus of human and demon cries. Its eyes, a blend of countless human and beast eyeballs, darted around wildly.
"Corpses! I need corpses!" After annihilating the Violet Sky Immortal Army, this blood-red demonic cloud, carrying Forbidden Fate amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, pressed towards the Heavenly Realm.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The 80 million demon forces had become relentless killing machines. Only the blood of humans could quench their thirst for vengeance.
From the fall of Demon Continent's prodigies to the death of the four Demon Emperors, they had lost so much they had gone mad. The combat strength of the demon army at this moment was beyond measure!
They had unleashed their most savage nature. With bloodlust in their eyes and their animal instincts overpowering their sentience, they charged towards the Heavenly Realm like starving wolves lunging for flesh.
Their combat strength was worlds apart from the million beleaguered remnants in the Ancestral Temple.
BOOM! Blood clouds roiled, wildfire blazed, and roars and howls shook the Divine Continent. The entire Heavenly Realm heard the uproar!
"Forbidden Fate!" In this moment of utter chaos, a silver-haired figure, brandishing a skinless human head, emerged at the forefront of the vast army.
"It's Moon Fairy!" With all the other demon elites dead, Forbidden Fate and Moon Fairy had become the last pillars of hope for the demons. Compared to the terrifying corpse demon, a beast demon like Moon Fairy naturally seemed more approachable to the common demons.
"I've slain the Violet Emperor. I present his head!" Moon Fairy lifted the head, presenting it to Forbidden Fate. His news sparked a frenzied celebration among the brutal demons, momentarily halting their advance.
"Good death!"
"Traitor! Rebel! Die! Die! Die!"
The 80 million demons, wounded or not, roared at the top of their lungs.
"Lady Hua Lian wished to bring the elegance of the human world to the Demon Continent, to make it a place of grace. But she underestimated the nature of demons..." Moon Fairy couldn't help but think of her, her soul still on his heart-shaped earring, surely witnessing this scene.
"Emperor!" Moon Fairy looked up with reverence. "Please accept this head!"
The Forbidden Fate Demon Emperor let out a mournful cry, its massive hand parting to reveal two human hands that tenderly held the Violet Emperor's head.
CRACK! The Violet Emperor's head was embedded into Forbidden Fate's forehead, blood vessels sprouting from the head, intertwining with the rest of his body. Then, the skinless head's eyes opened, its face twisted, laughing eerily.
"Good! Good!" The Violet Emperor had become a part of Forbidden Fate!
The demons, exhilarated and bloodthirsty, cheered wildly.
"Moon Fairy! Let's slaughter together!"
"To battle! To battle!"
The demons, briefly delayed, refocused on the Heavenly Realm below, their murderous intent soaring anew.
"With the Violet Emperor sain, next is Divine Dawn and Yun Xiao! Annihilate the Heavenly Realm! Exterminate humanity!"
The tumultuous sounds echoed in everyone's ears.
"Moon Fairy..." The mountain of flesh and corpses lowered its head, the skinless head of the Violet Emperor embedded in his brow looking at Moon Fairy. "Join me in avenging the Gu Emperor and Red Lotus," his voice, still tinged with a sob, carried endless sorrow.
"Yes..." Moon Fairy nodded, then, with a grit of his teeth, turned back to look at the Heavenly Realm, his gaze deep. He spoke loudly, "Demon Emperor! I understand your pain from losing close friends and your eagerness for revenge. But the Heavenly Realm is brimming with battle spirit, fortified by the Primordial Array. Not only do we face the devils, but also the combined forces of the other four Immortal Empires. If we enter the Heavenly Realm, a prolonged siege could lead to us being trapped and utterly defeated!"
Moon Fairy looked earnestly at Forbidden Fate, his voice filled with concern, "Before his death, the Violet Emperor exhausted every trick to lure us into the Heavenly Realm. Now, though we have destroyed the Violet Sky Immortal Army, we must learn from this and not fall into the same trap..."
His words stirred chaos among the demon army! Most of the rampaging demons couldn't bear such talk.
"What's there to fear? Just kill them! The humans are weak!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Moon Fairy, if you're scared to kill, then get out!"
However, some of the more astute demons furrowed their brows. Generally, one should avoid doing exactly what the enemy hoped for. Having killed the Violet Emperor and seen through his deception, why fall into another trap?
"Don't speak nonsense, Moon Fairy revealed the plot of Violet Sky and has done a great service!"
"There's some sense in what he says..."
"Now that Violet Sky is gone and the other four Demon Emperors have fallen, these humans surely won't sit still!"
"The Heavenly Realm has the Primordial Array; it's a quagmire. Once we're in, we might not get out! We don't have to attack the Heavenly Realm directly. We could descend on the Divine Continent first, seize the capitals of the other four Immortal Empires! Eradicate the Divine Continent first to remove future troubles, then encircle and destroy the Heavenly Realm!"
The demons, with varying levels of intelligence, suddenly plunged into heated debate and chaos. Disagreeing with each other, they even resorted to killing, the standard demon way: if you didn't want someone to talk, just bite off their head and gulp it down.
"I propose we first annihilate the other four Immortal Empires! That way, we won't fear being trapped between forces!"
"Without the Heavenly Realm's support, they'll be wiped out in a few days!"
"If the Heavenly Realm dares to step out without the Primordial Array, they'll be easily crushed!"
These suggestions, coming from the more powerful and louder demons, echoed through the crowd. But the more savage demons couldn't fathom giving the Heavenly Realm even a moment's reprieve. They wanted to shred the Heavenly Realm just as they had done to Violet Sky.
"Revenge now!" Their vocabulary limited, they could only express their desire to kill and surged towards the Heavenly Realm.
"Demon Emperor, please decide!" Moon Fairy pleaded, his eyes shimmering with urgency.
Time was of the essence for both the Heavenly Realm and Yun Xiao. Without the Primordial Array, the realm would struggle to hold back the 80 million ferocious demons.
BUZZ! Finally, the demon army calmed slightly, turning their attention to the mountain of flesh and corpses.
That mountain, with its myriad of blood-red eyes, had been watching Moon Fairy for a long time. Suddenly, its gigantic hand, a mix of claws and human fingers, reached out and touched Moon Fairy's chest. A heartbreaking cry escaped Forbidden Fate, the sound tearing at one's soul.
"Without Gu, without Red Lotus, I have no kin left,” the mountain of flesh mourned, tears of blood streaming from its eyes.
"Demon Emperor, you still have me..." The thick blood mist enveloped Moon Fairy, sending shivers down his spine.
"No, you're not kin." Forbidden Fate's voice turned melancholic, his sorrowful eyes fixated on Moon Fairy. "Why do you hate demons? Has Lady Hua Lian ever wronged you?"
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