Chapter 350: Chapter 349: All Set Out (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
At Lan Tian’s words, Shi Xiaole’s heart skipped a beat, although he calmly asked, "And what is this opportunity left behind by the Divine Monarch?"
Lan Tian offered a mysterious smile: "We’re not sure either. Once we reach the specified location and extract the Devil Seeds from within Huang Rong and me, everything will be clear."
The Mountain Cang Convention was imminent.
The Demon Marquis, in terms of strength, ambition, or ability, was arguably the leading figure in the Great Cold Demon Path of this generation. Today, at least forty percent of the characters in the martial world openly obey the Demon Sky Sect.
The remaining sixty percent formed their own cliques, yet they were no threat to the Demon Marquis.
According to the Holy Young Master, his father had only started his closed-door cultivation three years ago. It was no easy feat to break through the nineteenth level of the Devouring Demon Skill, and nobody knew when he succeeded.
Things to consider: the long journey from Fusang to the Central Plain, the tough marine conditions, and the unknown duration it would last.
By that time, the Demon Marquis would have unified the Demon Path. Given his remarkable talents, even if you raised the banner high for the Divine Monarch’s successors, it would not be easy to overthrow him.
What the Huang and Lan families were actually worried about was this: in the event the Demon Marquis’s power matures, and he pulls out the Divine Monarch’s Blade at the Mountain Cang Convention, then everything will be over.
The Divine Monarch’s Blade, left in the rocks of Mountain Cang by the Black Demon Monarch years ago, symbolizes the highest authority of the Great Cold Demon Path.
There has always been a legend among the followers of the Demon Path: whoever can pull out the Divine Monarch’s Blade is the destined successor of the Divine Monarch.
At the Mountain Cang Convention last time, the Demon Marquis nearly succeeded, causing both the Lan and Huang families to break out in a cold sweat.
Therefore, this time, they could not wait for the previous Holy Young Master. They had to put forth the Holy Young Master at this Mountain Cang Convention, prior to the Demon Marquis’s success.
For this purpose, the Huang and Lan families secretly contacted many hidden predecessors from the Demon Path. Regardless, if the Holy Young Master cannot demonstrate the resurgence of the Demon Path’s strength, their support may not be robust.
Time was of the essence; they had to take action!
"Honorable Young Master, the journey is fraught with dangers. If you have any concerns, we will strategize for you," said Lan Tian with a bow.
Shi Xiaole was determined: "As a descendant of the Divine Monarch, it is my duty to lead the Demon Path. How can I fear death? If it can make me stronger, I’ll face whatever comes my way."
In the dimming twilight, a group quietly embarked on their journey, leaving the lofty mountains
A short time later, the Demon Marquis glimmered with anticipation inside the main hall of the Demon Sky Sect.
"Love Demon, is this news true?"
"The news came from my sources in the Lan family, using the highest urgency code. It’s definitely critical," the Love Demon reported without imparting any personal opinion, just the facts.
"The urgency that has the Lan and Huang families acting so carefully is certainly no simple matter! I suggest we spread the news. Heh heh, they will be overwhelmed by the martial world even before they can respond," the Moon Demon greedily suggested in a sharp and hurried voice.
Red Charm Demon agreed with a chuckle: "That’s right, if we’re lucky, we might make the Holy Young Master suffer a setback and significantly weaken the Lan and Huang families’ strength."
"Heh heh, I bet the Holy Young Master tastes good," added the Heaven Eating Demon, the fattest and hungriest of the Great Cold Five Demons, known for his love of human flesh.
"Love Demon, what is your opinion?" finally, the Demon Marquis turned habitually to the Love Demon.
The Love Demon paused for a moment and then said: "With your current power, pulling out the Divine Monarch’s Blade would be nearly certain. So, the Lan and Huang families must be desperate. However, the fact that they’re taking such risks prove they’re after something extraordinary. I heard a rumor that the Divine Monarch left behind a shocking secret years ago."
"If your ambition is just to dominate the Demon Path in the eight states, you can certainly spread the news. But if your eyes are set on the whole Flying Horse Dynasty, I suggest we conceal the news and secretly involve ourselves to snatch the prize at the end."
The Demon Marquis’s chest swelled as he burst out in laughter: "Love Demon, you indeed understand me the most!"
Meanwhile, within the brothel...
An older courtesan was excited as the plan had finally been successful.
She immediately rushed off to a secluded room in the back garden, bowed respectfully, and said, "Demon Path has taken the bait, Elder Xu. Please set off and provide protection for the Saintess’s grand plans."
"I’ve been waiting a long time," came an old yet incredibly powerful voice from within the room.
...
To keep the plan a secret, Lan Tian and Huang Rong had left their clans’ territory for the first time in decades, taking one hundred skilled warriors from their respective clans to serve the Holy Young Master.
The party divided into six groups, setting out in different directions to quietly leave the Great Cold State.
They journeyed forth without incident.
One clear morning...
"Finally, my cultivation has reached the late stage of the first tier in the Spiritual Passage Realm," Shi Xiaole slowly opened his eyes amidst the morning dew.
It had been nearly a year since he had reached the mid-stage of the first tier in the Spiritual Passage Realm, and his cultivation had not improved significantly, a stark contrast to his rapid progress in the past.
But this was the characteristic of the Spiritual Passage Realm.
Any prodigy from the eight states without incredible luck could not breakthrough two minor levels of Spiritual-Passage Realm within a year. For many, this Realm was their ultimate achievement in life.
Even the Black Demon Monarch, with his extraordinary talents, was stuck in the Spiritual-Passage Realm for many years before ascending to the next level at the age of 36. This was already considered the fastest progress in the neighboring eight states’ history.
Over the past half-year, Shi Xiaole had hit a bottleneck in terms of improving his power, yet he was still somewhat excited.
As the Holy Young Master, he had an excuse to learn the proprietary skills of the Wind and Rain Demons’ clans. Upon secretly submitting these skills to the system, his reward points surged from 31,500 to an astonishing 43,500.
He was just six thousand and five hundred points away from having the fifty thousand required to purchase a top-tier, lower grade martial arts skill.
If he could complete the system task at that time and draw another top-tier martial arts skill, it would mean that he had the chance to obtain two such skills. If this news were to spread, it would likely drive the entire Martial World of the provinces into absolute madness.
Top-tier martial arts skills, also known as unparalleled martial arts, had appeared only a handful of times in the vast Eight Provinces over the past six hundred years, causing endless turmoil and bloodshed each time.
It was hard to imagine one person possessing two such skills at the same time.
"Young master, let’s speed up in the coming days. We’re almost at our destination," Lan Tian and Huang Rong (dressed as housekeepers) approached Shi Xiaole.
"Okay."
A thought stirred in Shi Xiaole’s heart. He was extremely curious about the secret left behind by the Black Devil Divine Monarch.
Three days later, six parties assembled in a dense graveyard.
The graveyard was gloomy and isolated. Particularly in the darkness of night, occasional glimmers of green phosphorescence added a terrifying touch.
"My father once told me that the secret lies at the exact center of this site’s Feng Shui arrangement," Lan Tian’s weathered face turned serious.
The center of the Feng Shui arrangement was a relatively ordinary-looking solitary grave, with an equally ordinary name on its tombstone. At Lan Tian’s command, a master came forward and shattered the tombstone with a single palm-strike, revealing an ancient coffin inside.
A gust of chilling yin energy rushed out, and everyone seemed to hear odd noises.
The coffin was opened to reveal it was empty inside. Shi Xiaole noticed that the bottom of the coffin was part of the ground itself.
Two masters entered the coffin and gradually struck the bottom. Even with their cultivation at the ninth layer of the Spiritual-Passage Realm, it took them almost one 2-hour period to crack the bottom.
"Stop."
Huang Rong quickly intervened, and after half a 2-hour period, when the bleak moonlight perfectly illuminated the bottom of the coffin, he abruptly yelled, "Strike!"
Bang!
The coffin’s bottom broke, and the Array System’s energy merged with the moonlight. After fogging up the surface for a moment, the energy dissipated and revealed a descending staircase.
Who could have imagined that the Black Devil Divine Monarch’s astonishing secret was hidden in such a place? Even if you knew where it was, without knowledge of the Array System, you’d still be helpless to uncover it.
"Holy Young Master, after you."
Without any time for marvel, under everyone’s protection, Shi Xiaole immediately descended the staircase.
This was a sizable underground structure. The passageway was two yards wide and extended several hundred meters before leading to a stone door ten yards high. Flanking the door stood two lion-like giant statues, ferocious and intimidating.
"Holy Young Master, please shoot your blood essence into the mouths of both beasts. The stone door will open automatically."
Shi Xiaole, feeling fortunate, forced out the blood essence of the Black Devil Divine Monarch, divided it into two droplets and shot them into the mouths of the stone beasts.
Boom...
A moment later, the stone beasts’ surfaces radiated dazzling lights. The stone door slowly opened accompanied by a loud rumbling noise. Everyone’s breath hitched as they strained to see what lay beyond the door.
Darkness—an oppressive, deathly silence.
Behind the stone door was a night sky, as if it directly connected with the edge of the universe, and stepping beyond the door would lead to a boundless cosmos.
"Elders do not know what lies within. Please make the decision, Holy Young Master," said both Lan Tian and Huang Rong simultaneously.
He mentally probed around, and Shi Xiaole was surprised to find that his ordinarily unassailable spiritual power was instantly absorbed by the darkness, leaving him unable to sense anything.
However, his blood began to flow rapidly, as if something in the darkness was calling to him, tempting him to come over.
"You stay here. I’ll go in."
Trusting his intuition, Shi Xiaole entered the darkness.
"How can we let the Holy Young Master face danger alone?"
Everyone rushed in with him.
Soon after, people from the Demon Sky Sect led by the Demon Marquis arrived at the spot.
"We’re finally here."
The typically calm Demon Marquis was visibly agitated, and his often pale face surprisingly flushed.
Demons have their own paths.
Some people were naturally inclined to cultivate the demonic arts, known as having the Demon Bone. The Demon Marquis was one such person and was considered by his teacher as a once-in-decade talent.
The darkness behind the stone door was like food to the starving and water to fish and shrimps, deeply attracting the Demon Marquis who couldn’t maintain his calm and leaped into it.
"Sir, let’s go."
The experts from the Demon Sky Sect had no choice but to follow.
"Elder Xu?"
The people from Sky Edge Pavilion also arrived. A middle-aged woman turned and looked hesitantly at the stooped old man next to her.
"Wait here for now. If there’s no danger, I’ll come back for you."
The stooped old man sent out a hand, creating a vast palm wind that tore a huge hole in the darkness. A terrifying storm seemed to whip through the air as he dashed through the gap into the darkness.
