Chapter 337: The Boundless King, The Dark Canopy of The Heavens
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
All the demons ranked Great Demon Lord and above in Ice Demon City moved out and headed to the “new Prefecture Master residence” in the heart of Ice Demon City to take part in the newly-appointed Prefecture Master’s birthday banquet.
They didn’t dare to miss the celebration when the new Prefecture Master had already spoken.
Besides, they also had their own personal motives. Didn’t anyone see that all 10 million prefecture guards had been annihilated and that the new Prefecture Master didn’t have even a single subordinate?
This was a golden opportunity for them!
Should they win the new Prefecture Master’s favor and become highly regarded by him, they would be in for a huge profit!
Therefore, every demon who qualified to participate in the birthday banquet had all turned up in splendid attire. On top of that, they had even brought generous birthday gifts in hopes that their wishes would come true.
Currently at the new Prefecture Master residence...
The so-called “new Prefecture Master residence” was the Ice Demon Shrine that Meng Lei had especially moved over from the Ice Demon Snow Mountain. He had placed the shrine—which was fully made out of ice-elemental magic crystals—right in the center of the gigantic pit.
It was tall and majestic, stately and solemn.
Meng Lei sat on the holy throne and received the demon guests here to congratulate him on his birthday one by one. He also checked their congratulatory gifts as he did so, causing his bearing to come across as awfully tacky and vulgar.
However, not a single demon dared to mock him. In fact, a lot of them were secretly delighted. Since the new Prefecture Master was so fond of monetary possessions, things would be easier.
“I’m very pleased with your gift!”
Meng Lei turned to a Fire Demon God and asked, “What’s your name? Are you willing to become a prefecture guard?”
“My name is Dewater, and I’m willing to serve Lord Prefecture Master faithfully!”
The Fire Demon God dropped onto its knees with a thud, so excited that it kowtowed repeatedly.
“Wonderful!”
Meng Lei nodded slightly. He said, “You can serve as the captain of the prefecture guards. How about this? I’ll make you the guards’ 1st Battalion leader.”
“Thank you, Lord Prefecture Master! Thank you! I’ll definitely be loyal and faithful to you and devote myself to my duty!”
Dewater, the Fire Demon God, was beyond itself with excitement as it kowtowed repeatedly. Envy filled the other demons’ eyes as they watched Dewater.
The new prefecture guards hadn’t yet been formed, so they weren’t sure what exactly their organizational structure would be like. However, based on their previous structure, one could say that Dewater had just had a meteoric rise in career.
The prefecture guards were grouped into ten battalions in total, where each battalion consisted of one million people. Not only did the battalion leaders hold command over one million guards each, but they were also directly under the Prefecture Master’s command.
Apart from the Prefecture Master, no one else in the whole Ice Demon City held a higher position than the ten battalion leaders. They could be said to be second to only one person!
“Next!”
Meng Lei dismissed Dewater, who then sat at the side with a wave and turned to the next demon in line.
“I wish the Prefecture Master everlasting longevity!”
The demon bowed in greeting and respectfully offered up the gift it had brought. Meng Lei immediately waved it off impatiently after taking a look.
“You may go!”
“Yes, yes!”
The demon backed off in trepidation.
“Next!”
Just like that, Meng Lei checked the guests’ gifts one by one with unflagging patience.
Those whose gifts met the benchmark were permitted to join the prefecture guards’ ranks.
Additionally, those whose gifts pleased him were appointed platoon leaders, company leaders, and battalion leaders.
Time went by little by little, and three days passed before he knew it. An endless stream of demons came to offer their well wishes for his birthday, but Meng Lei showed great patience.
The demons offered up birthday gifts of varying quantities, but as they say, “From small increments comes abundance”. Meng Lei’s Wealth had gone up to 900 million Divinity Crystals in just a short span of three days.
“900 million Divinity Crystals! I can do a lot with that! For example, I could enhance my divine body and bring it up to high-level higher deity stage, or I could also upgrade many of my special abilities.”
Joy secretly filled Meng Lei time and again.
Tsk, tsk. It simply feels too awesome just raking in the money while doing nothing!
Roar!
Just as Meng Lei was happily collecting birthday gifts, an aloof roar suddenly boomed above Ice Demon City like a deafening clap of thunder.
“Where’s the Ice Demon Prefecture Master?”
“What’s that sound?”
“Is someone challenging the Prefecture Master again?”
“...”
All the demons in Ice Demon City were alarmed the moment the voice rang out. Looks of alarm, fear, and worry adorned their countenances as they looked up.
The battle that had taken place a few days ago—including the scene where innumerable demons, including the 10 million prefecture guards, had died so tragically—was still fresh in their minds. Now that someone was challenging the Prefecture Master again, who wouldn’t be fearful or thrown into a panic?
“Someone’s here to make trouble right away when I’ve only just become Prefecture Master for a few days? The audacity of them!”
Meng Lei instantly vanished from the holy throne. By the time he reappeared, he was already in mid-air above Ice Demon City. The demon here to look for him entered his sight.
“Who are you?”
An unusual look flashed across Meng Lei’s eyes as he gazed at the demon standing before him. He could sense an extremely familiar aura coming from it.
“And who are you?”
The newcomer stared at Meng Lei and broke into a frown. A look of dissatisfaction appeared on its arrogant countenance as it said, “I’m looking for the Ice Demon Prefecture Master, not you.”
“Sorry, but I actually am the Ice Demon Prefecture Master himself,” replied Meng Lei aloofly with a flick of his fingers.
“You’re the Ice Demon Prefecture Master? What a joke!”
The newcomer snorted. “If memory serves me right, it seems like Cador’s the Ice Demon Prefecture Master. It’s an Ice Great Demon God, right?”
“That’s already a thing of the past.” Meng Lei shook his head and said, “I’ve already killed Cador and become Ice Demon Prefecture’s new Prefecture Master.”
“You’ve killed Cador?”
The newcomer’s expression changed slightly, and a hint of astonishment surfaced in its eyes.
Each of the 108 Prefecture Masters of Dark Hell Demonic Kingdom was the most powerful expert of each prefecture, and all of them were at least mid-level Great Demon Gods.
Over countless years, the 108 Prefecture Masters frequently received all sorts of challenges, but those that could really succeed... were far and few!
Yet Meng Lei had actually succeeded, and on top of that, he had even killed the previous Ice Demon Prefecture Master. How strong must he be?
The newcomer sized up Meng Lei anew and adopted a much more pleasant attitude. Each Prefecture Master’s revered status aside, just their combat power alone was already worthy of it looking up to them.
“So, what are you looking for me for? Are you thinking of challenging me?” asked Meng Lei calmly.
“Esteemed Ice Demon Prefecture Master, I am August Hymans Bartholomew Holmes Cyril Lawrence Bart Hollis, the Demonic Kingdom’s special envoy,” said the newcomer in self-introduction.
“...”
Meng Lei, “...”
“You may call me Special Envoy Hollis.”
It went on and said, “The Dark Canopy of The Heavens will commence in the middle of next month. Please proceed to the Demonic Capital in a timely fashion and assemble with the other Prefecture Masters there.”
“The Dark Canopy of The Heavens?”
Meng Lei was slightly taken aback. As information about the Dark Canopy of The Heavens rapidly surfaced in his mind, a light jolt couldn’t help but go through him. Then, he nodded slightly and replied, “I’ll be there punctually.”
“Since I’ve relayed the message, then I’ll take my leave now.”
The newcomer bowed slightly and quickly left.
“What’s the Dark Canopy of The Heavens, Meng Lei?” asked Dodola somewhat curiously.
Meng Lei took a deep breath and asked, “Have you heard of the Boundless King, Dodola?”
“The Boundless King?”
A huge jolt went through Dodola, and it exclaimed, “Are you talking about that great existence whose name is eponymous with the four juggernauts of the Void?”
“Yes, him!”
Meng Lei nodded slightly. There were a total of four juggernauts in the vast universe. They stood above all deities, demons, Chief Gods, and Demon Grandmasters and were the true gods among the gods and demons among the demons.
They were supreme existences!
They dominated the universe!
They were the Life Dominus, the Sky Dominus, the Supreme God of The Underworld, and the Grim Reaper King.
It was no exaggeration to say that the four juggernauts were exalted beings that stood at the very pinnacle of the pyramid of power. They were also the four strongest existences in the vast universe, and even Chief Gods paled in comparison to them.
From how the Boundless King enjoyed equal fame as them, one could tell just how fearsome he must be, yet tragically enough, the Boundless King had actually oddly met his demise.
As to how he had fallen, public opinions were divided. Nevertheless, the Boundless King had indeed perished.
“Why are you suddenly bringing up the Boundless King? Is he related to the Dark Canopy of The Heavens?” asked a puzzled Dodola.
Meng Lei replied, “You should also be aware that the four juggernauts had emerged from the two supreme existential planes, the Celestial Realm, and the Netherworld. The Boundless King, however, was the only one of humble origins.”
“That’s true.”
Dodola nodded and said, “During those years that the Boundless King dominated the vast universe, all his deeds were spun into legends that innumerable beings delighted in talking about. The rumored Boundless King was indeed of humble origins and born in a low-end existential plane.”
“According to Cador’s memories, before the Boundless King became a Chief God or even a juggernaut, he was also once the master of a mid-end existential plane!”
Meng Lei explained, “The mid-end existential plane involved with the Dark Canopy of The Heavens is exactly the one that he had once owned. That existential plane is also known as the Boundless Plane.”
Dodola was astonished.
“I can’t determine the authenticity of this information, either. However, that’s exactly what it’s like in Cador’s memories. In fact, many of Dark Hell Continent’s experts also believe that the mid-end existential plane involved with the Dark Canopy of The Heavens is related to the Boundless King,” said Meng Lei with a wry smile.
A frowning Dodola asked, “In that case, the Dark Canopy of The Heavens is actually a space-time rift?”
“To be more accurate, it’s a dimensional gate.”
Meng Lei was rather excited. He said, “The Dark Canopy of The Heavens opens once every 30,000 years. When that happens, all the experts in Dark Hell Continent will gather in front of the Dark Canopy of The Heavens and compete against one another for a slot to enter, in hopes that they can enter the Boundless Plane.”
“You even have to compete to enter?”
Dodola was astonished.
“Only 36 people are allowed to pass through the Dark Canopy of The Heavens each time. Once 36 people have entered, it’ll close temporarily and forbid any more people from entering.”
Meng Lei said with a sigh, “Cador had gone to the Dark Canopy of The Heavens 30,000 years ago, but because it was of mediocre strength, it didn’t win the right to enter.”
“Only 36 people are allowed to enter?” A puzzled Dodola asked, “How intense must the competition be, then?”
“Yes, the competition is exceedingly intense.”
Meng Lei nodded and said, “Innumerable Demon Gods in the entire Dark Hell Continent take part in the competition just to fight for those 36 slots. You can imagine for yourself how stiff the competition must be!”
“It’s certainly very intense!”
Dodola nodded slightly and said, “Since competition is so intense, then there must definitely be some kind of priceless treasure on the Boundless Plane. Otherwise, it would never attract that many Demon Gods.”
“Treasure? While Cador had never seen it before, it’s said that someone had found Demon Grandmaster remains—and even Demon Grandmaster-level demonic weapons—on the Boundless Plane before,” said Meng Lei.
“Demon Grandmaster remains? Demon Grandmaster-level demonic weapons?”
A huge jolt went through Dodola.
Demon Grandmasters were beings equivalent to Chief Gods.
In that case, didn’t that make Demon Grandmaster remains Chief God remains, and Demon Grandmaster-level demonic weapons Chief God-level divine weapons?
“If that’s really the case, then the Boundless Plane is definitely no simple place!”
Dodola took a deep breath. Then, it asked, “Is there any other information about the Boundless Plane aside from that?”
“The Boundless Plane is a very dangerous place. Supposedly, apart from Dark Hell Continent, there are also experts from Hell, the Abyss, the Netherworld, and other existential planes there.”
Meng Lei added, “When the time comes, innumerable experts shall gather at the Boundless Plane, compete on the same stage, and hunt for treasure together. The Boundless Plane will surely become incredibly dangerous!
“Apart from that, there are also the natives on the Boundless Plane. They are the ones that are actually the most fearsome and most dangerous of all!”