When shadows enveloped the entire territory of the Peacock ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Clan, the demon tribesmen streamed out of the Blessed Land Grotto-Heaven and looked up at the strange scene. The once clear sky had suddenly turned so somber, and the demonic qi of heaven and earth seemed to surge madly in this direction.
Ye Yu and Nangong Jingtang also sensed that something was terribly wrong. They immediately ordered the Peacock Clan’s people to scatter and keep their distance for the moment. No one dared disobey. As they began to withdraw, the surrounding demonic power poured in ever more fiercely. Nangong Jingtang’s face darkened. “This isn’t right. I feel an aura I’ve never encountered before. You should close the manual.”
Ye Yu forced a bitter laugh. It seemed the book could not be closed now.
At his words, Nangong Jingtang’s expression froze. In truth, at the moment the black dot appeared on the manual’s pages, Ye Yu had already detected something unusual—an irresistible aura was slowly condensing. At first it was faint, but as the world’s demonic qi converged, it only grew stronger. Nangong Jingtang may not have known what it was, but Ye Yu recognized it: the same aura that emanated from the Heart-Demon God he had faced in the Demon Realm. He suspected the manual was summoning such an entity, so he instinctively tried to cover it—but it was too late. Some mysterious magic bound the manual open; he could not shut it or discard it.
This was bad news for Ye Yu. Nangong Jingtang rushed forward to help, but before her hands could touch the manual, a powerful force rebuffed her completely.
Just as Ye Yu opened his mouth to speak, a massive vertical pupil appeared in the sky and slowly opened. Seeing this, Ye Yu had no time to speak to Nangong Jingtang. With a thought, he stamped his foot and activated a teleportation formation, sending her away—leaving only himself to face this apocalyptic scene.
The vertical pupil opened fully, revealing a slightly blood-red iris. A dull voice boomed as if descending from the Ninth Heavens. Small demon tribe, how dare you disturb my slumber? Why do you, mere ants, seek your own death?
Ye Yu gritted his teeth and forced his mind to steady. The moment the pupil opened, a strange force washed over him, sowing confusion and a powerful urge to submit—but Ye Yu’s legs were unwilling to kneel. He snorted. “Seek death? Do you think I wanted you to appear? I merely opened the manual, and you came out on your own. If you have the skill, go back!”
At his words, the pupil suddenly widened by three points. “Impudent demon tribe, how dare you talk back? I shall grant you death now and obliterate you utterly!”
Before the words fell, a dazzling sword light erupted, a thunderous force that slashed downward in an instant. In that flash, all within ten thousand li shattered completely and dissolved into nothingness—even Chaos Demon City, that ancient stronghold, was erased from history.
The vision in the dream plunged into darkness. Ye Yu shot awake, inhaling deeply, his heart still trembling at the memory of that vertical pupil. Once again, he had been slain by such an existence.
He believed the pupil was not a complete being but a projection—like the remnant soul of an immortal—or something beyond the definition of soul. Their power was terrifying, leaving no room for resistance. Ye Yu had every reason to suspect it surpassed the Demon Emperor Realm.
At that moment, the System’s voice echoed in his mind. This dream has ended! Demon Age: 31 years! Dream appraisal: Perfect! You have received two dream rewards at random! One: peak cultivation at the Celestial Lord Realm! Two: Supreme Decree Technique (Perfection Stage)! When a dream appraisal is Excellent or above, two items are manifested: the Tianniu Heart-Protection Jade and the Justice Tome! Dream appraisal: Once again refreshing the record for highest cultivation in a dream, only a few steps from the highest Demon Emperor Realm—though ultimately still slain by a Demon Emperor’s scheme. May the host strive further next time, uncover every conspiracy, and truly walk the path of the strongest!
Stunned by the System’s voice, Ye Yu froze in place. Slain by a Demon Emperor’s plot? What on earth was happening? Before he could ponder further, a faint voice came from behind him.
“By the way, how long do you plan to sit on my leg?”
Ye Yu turned to see Dong Kui standing there, her expression cold and hostile. No—this female ghost radiated a palpable grudging resentment!
Meanwhile, the dream had not fully ended. After Ye Yu’s demise, everything returned to calm. The vertical pupil in the sky had vanished. Three bright moons hung high, illuminating the broken land. At that moment, a young woman walked forward—none other than the Hallmaster of the sanctuary, Qin Zhanyu. She stopped where Ye Yu had fallen, bent down, and picked up the manual. Astonishingly, despite that overwhelming force, the manual bore no damage, though the character “Di” on its cover was somewhat blurred. Unperturbed, Qin Zhanyu dusted off the nonexistent grime and stored it in her Ring of Holding, a faint, inscrutable smile on her lips.
In fact, everything had unfolded just as she had anticipated. Qin Zhanyu had long known Ye Yu would die, which was why she allowed him to leave so easily. She also wished to test whether, after the Cataclysm of the Demon Realm, any power remained in the manual. Now, with the answer before her, the Cataclysm had left the manual untouched.
