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Chapter 60: The Final War, Part 3
Liu Xiao raised his eyes, and the demon lizardman was far away from them. The lizardman's tail wagged as he spoke with a proud voice. "OH MIGHTY DEMON KING! LOOK! ISN'T IT FUN FOR US TO BE WANDERING HERE IN THE MORTAL WORLD?! KIKIKIKI!!! YOUR USELESS SERVANTS CAN'T EVEN KILL US! MAYBE YOU'RE ALSO——"
"Huangtian, burn that thing."
With Liu Xiao's command, Huangtian swiftly obeyed, emitting a resounding roar as it descended upon the lizardman. Thanks to its earlier transformation into a human-sized form, the majestic bird remained inconspicuous amidst the chaos.
The lizardman, armed with a spear, barely had time to react before Huangtian's razor-sharp claws slashed through his hands, eliciting a piercing cry. Kneeling in pain, the lizardman could only watch in horror as Huangtian descended upon him, engulfing him in merciless flames.
Liu Xiao, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but sneer at Huangtian's swift justice. "Good job, Huangtia—no! I'm still mad at you for betraying me."
Huangtian merely opened its beak slightly, seemingly indifferent to Liu Xiao's words, much to his frustration. Liu Xiao stared incredulously at the mythical bird, his mouth agape. "HOW DARE YOU IGNORE ME! I'M YOUR MASTER! BAD CHICKEN! BAD DUCK!"
Unperturbed by Liu Xiao's outburst, Huangtian continued its onslaught against the demons, relentless in its mission. As Liu Xiao's attention shifted, he noticed that Wu Qingge had withdrawn his hands, and the bite wounds on his thighs had vanished completely, leaving no trace.
Liu Xiao oh-ed as he stared at his own thighs. Even the mosquito bites are gone! How convenient!
As they navigated through the chaos within the floating palace, Chen Yi and the others remained elusive. Some cultivators were locked in fierce combat with the demons, with outcomes ranging from victory to defeat. Liu Xiao, tugging at the hem of Wu Qingge's sleeves, urged him forward. "Let's hurry, Wu Shidi. Chen Yi and the others are nowhere to be seen."
Following closely behind Liu Xiao, Wu Qingge allowed himself to be led through the labyrinthine rooms of the palace. Each chamber they passed was a scene of carnage, with demons being vanquished by Huangtian's fiery wrath. Amidst the chaos, the once-majestic palace now exuded an oppressive atmosphere, shrouded in thick miasma, with demons lurking in the shadows.
"I never imagined the underworld gate could be combined like this," remarked Liu Xiao, surveying the grim spectacle.
Wu Qingge nodded in agreement. "Indeed. While I don't understand how the old palace master accomplished it, it likely involves my cultivation or bloodline."
"But what about the other underworld gates scattered across the world?" inquired Liu Xiao.
Wu Qingge explained, "The theory of gathering all the underworld gates to merge them into one is a misconception. There are two methods to combine them: either by collecting high-tier gates or by acquiring the demon king's core."
Liu Xiao's brow furrowed in concern. "Core? Did they steal the spiritual core within you?!"
Suddenly, a black lotus flower emerged from Wu Qingge's body, transforming into an elder man draped in black and red smoke, his hair white and his eyes colorless. "Fear not, Little Xiao! Wu'er is unharmed. Allow this old man to explain."
As they traversed the corridors of the floating palace, Liu Xiao remained perplexed. "But how does the demon king's core relate to combining the underworld gates?"
The elder's laughter faded into a somber expression. "Truth be told, this old man made a grave mistake."
Liu Xiao leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "What kind of mistake?"
With a heavy sigh, the elder continued, "In my greed, I once sealed the demon king in the underworld. However, I couldn't resist dissecting his body, where I discovered a core."
Liu Xiao's eyes widened. "And what was that core?"
"It was the heart of the nether," the elder admitted.
Liu Xiao stumbled, trying to grasp the revelation. "So, it was a core all along?"
The elder nodded gravely. "Indeed. It was the original demon king's heart, capable of controlling all demons, including himself. It was my folly that allowed such power to fall into malevolent hands."
Suppressing his skepticism, Liu Xiao pressed on. "But how does this relate to the gates?"
"The demon king possessed the ability to manipulate the underworld gates at will," the elder explained. "However, by extracting and preserving the core, I inadvertently rendered Wu'er unable to command the gates merely by proximity. They required his blood to recognize him as the rightful demon king, for the gates regarded the Heart of the Nether as their master."
Liu Xiao nodded. So that's why Wu Qingge was trapped inside the underworld for a long time after he became the demon king. There must've been an error because the Heart of the Nether still existed, and he must've cultivated the demon king's strength so that the underworld gates would recognize him as the new king.
The elder continued to explain. "That Heart of the Nether can call out all high-tier underworld gates. It was most likely a radar on how they would find the high-tier underworld gates. So maybe after they collected all the high-tier underworld gates, they used the Heart of the Nether to combine them."
Liu Xiao nodded. "So the old palace master did both options by collecting all the high-tier underworld gates and using the demon king's core."
The elder spoke again: "But that doesn't mean that he was able to open it."
Liu Xiao frowned. "But didn't the old palace master have the demon king's core? Why can't he open it?"
Wu Qingge was the one who answered, as he supported Liu Xiao, who was about to trip on some random crystal debris. "Black Lotus Cultivation."
Liu Xiao was astounded. "Y-Your cultivation?"
The elder nodded and replied, "That's right. Using the spiritual qi or the blood was enough to open it. Black lotus cultivation is like a key because its power is comparable to the demon king's."
Liu Xiao glanced at Wu Qingge with a worried face. "Did they steal your blood?! Or maybe your spiritual qi?!"
Wu Qingge chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. This Shidi is strong; they won't be able to touch even a single strand of my hair."
Liu Xiao tilted his head in confusion. "Then who?"
Elder: "My blood."
Liu Xiao: "....."
The elder sighed and killed the demon, who was about to approach in their direction, with a wave of his sleeve. "That old palace master killed me."
All of a sudden, the jewel on Liu Xiao's forehead radiated an orange glow, and his grandpa emerged from his body. "IT'S NOT JUST YOU! IT SHOULD BE US!"
Liu Xiao's mind is like a mess right now. His grandpa continued to yell, "THAT BASTARD BETRAYED US, DON'T YOU REMEMBER?! AFTER HE SCATTERED THE FRAGMENTS OF YOUR SOUL TO THE SHEN HUA MOUNTAIN AND RESERVED MY BODY AT THE SHEN JING MINE AS FOOD FOR THE SILVER CRYSTALS!"
Centuries ago, three titans strode across the cultivation world, their names etched into the annals of history. Among them were the Darling of the Heavens, the Genius Mount Hua Peak Master, and the Legendary Wanderer.
The Darling of the Heavens, once the prince of the Yong'an Empire, ascended to immortality at a mere nineteen. With unrivaled cultivation and a name that whispered of miracles, he relinquished his royal ties upon his parents' passing. Instead, he roamed the world as the sole disciple of the elder who crafted the magnificent floating palace, once adorned with jade and gold.
Born of a union between a vagabond father and a visionary mother, the genius Mount Hua Peak Master emerged from humble beginnings. His mother's passion for flowers, even amidst her madness, infused him with botanical wisdom. He adorned Mount Hua Peak with an array of flora, nurturing them with the spiritual, qi-enriched waters of his creation.
Lastly, the Legendary Wanderer, renowned for his tales of the sea kings, traversed realms with humility and grace. Though not famed for raw power, his encounters with the enigmatic Sea Kings elevated him to near-mythical status. Gongzi, as he was affectionately known, wandered tirelessly, vanquishing demons without expectation of reward and shielding towns with protective barriers before journeying onward.
(Gongzi is an honorific title for people who are highly respected by everyone.)
When fate brought them together at the Cultivation Meeting Alliance in the revered halls of the Jade Palace, their initial encounter was far from auspicious. The Darling of the Heavens, the Genius Mount Hua Peak Master, and the Legendary Wanderer clashed from the outset, their conflicting energies threatening to shatter the serenity of the palace.
Their tumultuous confrontation nearly razed the sacred halls to the ground, leaving the elders with no choice but to intervene. In an act of retribution, the trio was sentenced to a three-month confinement at the Youzui Manor of the Baiyuing Sect, a punishment befitting their reckless display of power.
(Youzui means sinned in Chinese.)
As time passed, the once-tumultuous relationship between the three renowned cultivators began to transform. Forced into close quarters by their punishment, they shared not only living space but also their hopes, fears, and dreams. Through battles fought side by side and nights spent under the same roof, they forged a bond that transcended mere friendship; they became brothers in every sense of the word.
Despite their initial animosity, they learned to appreciate each other's strengths and weaknesses, finding unity in their shared experiences. As they faced demons together and navigated the complexities of life, their camaraderie only grew stronger.
With the passage of the years, each of them pursued their own path. The Darling of the Heavens inherited the mantle of his master, stewarding the floating palace with wisdom and grace. The genius Mount Hua Peak Master delved into the arcane arts, seeking to unlock the secrets of cultivation through the study of demonic forces. And the Legendary Wanderer, spurred by the mockery of his peers, retreated into seclusion to hone his skills in solitude.
Yet fate had more trials in store for them. When the demon king was unleashed upon the world, it was the genius Mount Hua Peak Master who led the charge to confront the malevolent entity, joined by his steadfast companions. Together, they faced the ultimate test of their bond, emerging victorious as heroes hailed by all as Gongzi, the noble saviors of their realm.
As the legendary wanderer emerged from his solitary cultivation, darkness had taken root within him. Consumed by envy and bitterness, he harbored a deep-seated resentment toward his former companions, whose achievements seemed to mock his own perceived failures.
Driven by his twisted emotions, the legendary wanderer embarked on a path of treachery and betrayal. In a fit of rage and madness, he unleashed unspeakable horrors upon Shen Hua Mountain, the very place where his former friend, the Genius Mount Hua Peak Master, had once called home.
The once-envied Genius Mount Hua Peak Master, now consumed by demonic influence, became a tool of destruction under the Legendary Wanderer's malevolent influence. Together, they wrought havoc upon the land, leaving a trail of death and despair in their wake.
But the true depths of the legendary wanderer's depravity were yet to be revealed. In a cowardly act of betrayal, he struck down his former companions, the Darling of the Heavens and the Genius Mount Hua Peak Master, when they least expected it. With their deaths, he seized control of the floating palace, twisting it into a symbol of his newfound power and dominance.
To silence anyone who dared oppose him, the Legendary Wanderer unleashed his crystal attribute cultivation upon those loyal to his fallen comrades, casting them into the depths of the Shen Jing Mine to suffer a fate worse than death. Even the spiritual core of the Darling of the Heavens, once revered by all, was callously sacrificed to feed the insatiable hunger of living crystals, a grim testament to the depths of the Legendary Wanderer's depravity.
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