The thousand-eyed demon had no awareness of its own situation or condition. Its eight scaly limbs flailed wildly, appearing normal on the surface. Yet in the void around it, countless invisible “tentacles”—some icy, some sinister, some scorching—were swiftly closing in, as if they could pierce through its body and read its mind.
Meng Qi withdrew his consciousness and perception entirely into the concept of Primordial Chaos, embodying a state close to the true Limitless. He erased all traces of his presence, leaving only the silent operation of the “Cause of All Effects.” It existed eternally, as constant as the Dao itself, the natural order that governed all things. Without actively probing, it was nearly impossible to detect.
“Black Heavenly Emperor’s gaze from the past… the Blood Demon’s sensation of slaughter… the deepest, darkest, most insidious Demon Monarch… the killing intent capable of severing this realm… the mad destruction of the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate… the icy filth of death…” Meng Qi, reduced to a mere point of existence, relied on the “Cause of All Effects” to distinguish each of the invisible “tentacles.”
Just as the probing “tentacles” were about to reach the demonic flesh-body, the icy filth of death suddenly dispersed, spreading into an illusory mist that repelled the other five “tentacles,” asserting dominance.
This was a demon tainted by the seeds of the Profound Nether Ghost Emperor!
Over the years, the other old monsters had similarly planted their own agents within the Scarlet Mountains. Now that they realized the “anomaly” belonged to the Profound Nether Ghost Emperor, they were unwilling to provoke an immediate confrontation, lest they allow a third party to benefit. Thus, they withdrew their probing “tentacles.”
Only the “Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate” pressed forward instead of retreating. Destruction surged like a tidal wave, chaotic and mad, defying all logic. Even Meng Qi, hidden within the Limitless Seal, sensed danger.
Among the evil gods and demons standing at the pinnacle of the Netherworld, the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate was infamous for incoherent speech, self-destructive actions, and capricious betrayals. He was not stupid—he made others stupid. He embodied chaos and evil, making his actions unpredictable. While others would retreat or compromise, he often did the opposite!
For this reason, Meng Qi’s greatest concern in infiltrating the Scarlet Mountains using this demonic body was not the Black Heavenly Emperor or the Demon Monarch, but the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate.
And reality proved him right. The invisible wave of destruction, capable of tearing apart even thoughts, surged forward with overwhelming force, instantly drawing the attention of the Black Heavenly Emperor and other powerful beings.
If a fierce clash erupted, Meng Qi would have to prepare himself!
*Splash!*
The wave crashed into the cold death mist, freezing into dark, illusory ice crystals. The thousand-eyed demon fled swiftly, still oblivious to the anomalies around it.
The battle between pseudo-Other Shore beings far beyond its comprehension was something it could not even perceive—until the aftershocks consumed it.
For ordinary mortals and demons, cataclysmic battles might rage around them constantly, yet they would remain unaware.
The death mist trembled, on the verge of collapse. The Profound Nether Ghost Emperor, caught off guard, cursed inwardly: *Damn it, that old lunatic has lost it again!*
The Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate had been relatively sane for years, leading the Ghost Emperor to believe that the influence of the Demon Emperor’s Claw had tempered his madness. Yet now, at this critical moment, his true nature had erupted once more.
Seeing this, Meng Qi had no choice but to activate his contingency plan.
Knowing the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate was a wildcard, how could he not prepare?
*Whoosh!*
Within the Origin of Life and Death, the “Wheel of Myriad Heavens’ Life and Death” slowly turned. The surging waves of the Yellow Springs roared forth, brimming with the aura of death.
This anomaly immediately diverted the attention of the Black Heavenly Emperor and others toward the banks of the Yellow Springs. Driven by instinct, the Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate also withdrew his invisible “tentacles,” extending countless threads toward the disturbance.
Seizing the opportunity, the Profound Nether Ghost Emperor split his focus—partly toward the Yellow Springs anomaly, partly toward reinforcing the death mist—allowing the demon carrying Meng Qi to continue its journey through the mountains.
At the same time, he inspected the demonic flesh-body to ensure no hidden dangers had been planted by his rivals.
Meng Qi even halted the operation of the “Cause of All Effects,” withdrawing completely into the Primordial Chaos as if he had vanished from existence. He allowed the Ghost Emperor’s invisible tendrils to sweep over him.
Cold, sinister, filthy, deathly, corrupt—the impressions of these Daos brushed past him. Suddenly, the probing paused briefly.
Meng Qi remained utterly still, as if he were already dead.
After the pause, the “invisible tendrils” moved on, passing over the demonic body before withdrawing into the distance.
With his attention divided, even the mighty Profound Nether Ghost Emperor could not detect Meng Qi, who was also empowered by the Netherworld.
The demonic flesh-body pressed forward, entering the heart of the Scarlet Mountains. The disturbance in the Yellow Springs subsided, leaving the Black Heavenly Emperor, the Netherworld Blood Demon, and the Demon Monarch puzzled and speculative. The Nine Chaos Heavenly Venerate, finding no further openings, regained his composure and rationality.
The deeper one ventured into the Scarlet Mountains, the thinner the roiling demonic energy became. Under the black sun, the air even felt clear and bright.
Meng Qi had expected great difficulty in locating Qi Zhengyan, yet as soon as he entered the Scarlet Dominion, he saw him standing atop a high place, surrounded by evil gods and demons.
Qi Zhengyan was not looking down to assert superiority—he was preaching. The assembled evil gods and demons listened intently, their gazes unusually lucid, their emotions fluctuating with his words.
Qi Zhengyan’s voice, fragmented yet clear, reached Meng Qi through the demon’s ears:
“…The pain of being tormented by emotions, ruled by desires—I have suffered no less than you… Every moment, I fight against the influence of the Demon Emperor’s Claw… Every time I cultivate to the limit, I fall into nightmares—horrors I would never wish upon anyone: my parents dismembered by my own madness, my closest friends betrayed and slain by my treachery… The bloody scenes, the extreme emotions, the irrational desires—they bring fleeting pleasure, followed by endless guilt and inescapable torment, trapping us in a cycle of suffering, rebirth after rebirth, until our souls are wholly replaced, until we are no longer ourselves…”
“To mindless gods and demons, these experiences are but jokes, fueling their lust for slaughter and destruction… But since you have come to the Scarlet Mountains of your own will, you must share similar pain. Step forward, share your stories, and let us see the true face of the Netherworld more clearly…”
Inspired by Qi Zhengyan, one after another, the evil gods and demons stood up to voice their suffering.
As they spoke, their emotions surged, their shared understanding deepened, and their vague resentment toward the Netherworld crystallized into hatred—and rebellion!
Meng Qi activated the Mind Seal, subtly influencing the demon he possessed. As he listened and drew closer, two figures clad in pure black full-body armor—members of the Yama race—suddenly blocked his path.
“Brother, are you new here?” one Yama guard asked.
Meng Qi made the possessed demon nod. “I heard the Demon Emperor has taken the Scarlet Mountains and can help those of us with independent thought resist the Netherworld’s influence. Is this true?”
The Yama guard chuckled. “Of course! It was the Demon Emperor’s teachings that made us realize what we truly desire.”
“And what is that?” Meng Qi asked casually.
“Uh…” The guard faltered. “Well, it’s definitely not endless, empty destruction.”
Meng Qi mused, “After joining the Scarlet Mountains, what must one do?”
“Four things: First, cultivate the righteous methods taught by the Demon Emperor to resist the Netherworld’s influence at its root. Second, share past pains and present insights with comrades. Third, channel negative desires into labor—building the Scarlet Mountains’ barrier. Fourth, train in formations under the guidance of the Demon Sages. Beyond that, you need not flatter or serve anyone…” The Yama’s eyes gleamed with enthusiasm as he spoke.
Once past the Yama guards, Meng Qi noticed Qi Zhengyan was no longer among the gathered demons.
Tracing his presence, Meng Qi abandoned the possessed demon, transforming into a streak of earth-yellow light that sank into the ground and sped away.
……
“The results are promising…” Zhao Heng walked alongside Qi Zhengyan through the Scarlet Mountains, observing the ever-expanding, increasingly formidable barrier.
Qi Zhengyan nodded expressionlessly, offering no words.
Zhao Heng frowned as he glanced toward the barrier’s entrance. “Allowing demons to enter with so little scrutiny… I worry about hidden dangers. Those old monsters are not to be trifled with. They must have planted spies.”
Qi Zhengyan replied calmly, “The Great Freedom Heavenly Son conducts covert inspections.”
He paused, then added with a rare hint of a smile, “And what if they have spies? This way, those old monsters will hear my thoughts, my beliefs, my goals… Under normal circumstances, how else would they ever sit and listen?”
Zhao Heng was stunned. After a long silence, he sighed. “You’re usually so quiet, yet when it’s time to speak, you outtalk everyone…”
Just then, Qi Zhengyan halted abruptly, his expression shifting. Zhao Heng sensed it too—a familiar figure stood silently on the ridge ahead, clad in a water-gown and cloud-patterned crown, exuding an air of transcendent ease.
“Xiao Meng…” Zhao Heng’s voice tightened inexplicably, barely above a whisper.
It was none other than the current master of Kunlun Mountain’s Jade Void Palace—the Immortal Venerable Yuanhuang, Su Meng!
Meng Qi’s heart was no calmer than Zhao Heng’s. Visions of disappointment, sighs, pain, even hatred and severance flickered through his mind.
Suppressing all negative emotions, he smiled. “Surprised?”
Qi Zhengyan stared directly into Meng Qi’s eyes. After a long silence, he spoke abruptly: “You’re here for the Fengshen Bang, aren’t you?”
The atmosphere froze instantly.
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