In the Gate of Myriad Demons, Memories of the Past

High in the void, a placid smile touched the corners of Qi Yuan's lips. Yet to everyone watching, that smile looked like the cruel jest of a devil. "Oh dear. The music's only halfway through... how are they all dead already?" Qi Yuan wore a look of helplessness. One thousand seven hundred Sovereigns were simply not enough to kill. The music was only midway, and they were already wiped out. A chill gripped the hearts of everyone present. Those were one thousand seven hundred Sovereigns, not stray cats and dogs. Just like that, they had died... slaughtered without even knowing how. Qi Yuan, of course, felt none of their shock. To him, they were merely game NPCs—hostile NPCs at that. Dead was dead. The music was still playing; how could the slaughter stop? His eyes drifted toward the remaining thousand-plus Sovereigns. "How about... a few more?" The moment those words were spoken, the surviving Sovereigns felt their eyes tear wide in sheer terror. The burly man who had spoken up for Qi Yuan earlier hurriedly called out, "Blood Lord, we have always been loyal to you!" The nearly hundred Sovereigns who had stepped forward before, Li Yunzhi included, scrambled to their feet as well. "We are willing to die for the Blood Lord!" Behind them, the other thousand or so Sovereigns were scared out of their wits by the sight. At this point, how could they fail to understand what they should do and what they must not do? Otherwise, the fate of those seventeen hundred Sovereigns would be theirs. "We are willing to die for the Blood Lord!" Their voices thundered, far louder and more vehement than when they had thanked the Blood Lord earlier. "In that case... those three Grand Sovereigns are yours to handle. Don't beat them to death; leave them a single breath," Qi Yuan said lazily, looking slightly disappointed. His divine ability was invincible against ordinary Sovereigns. Dealing with Grand Sovereigns, however, was still a bit troublesome. He might as well let these thousand Sovereigns swarm and strike down those three Grand Sovereigns. The blare of the suonas continued, and the drums and gongs grew even louder. Over a thousand Sovereigns turned in unison to glare at the three Grand Sovereigns. Such collective might was terrifying. "How dare you plot against the Blood Lord! Your crime deserves death!" "Is the Blood Lord someone clownish wretches like you can provoke?" In an instant, the Sovereigns who had previously hesitated transformed into the most loyal vanguard, charging straight for the three Grand Sovereigns. Agony twisted the faces of the three Grand Sovereigns. The moment things went awry, they had wanted to flee, but dozens of Sovereigns' gazes had locked onto them, preventing any escape. Now, with over a thousand Sovereigns charging them at once, what chance of survival did they have? Grand Sovereign Yellow Brows roared to the heavens, ripping at his own eyebrows. "Mi Kong, I should never have come with you!" Countless origin divine abilities rained down. The three Grand Sovereigns had no room to fight back at all and could only muster all their strength to defend. In just a single exchange, the three mighty Grand Sovereigns were stripped of all combat ability. Their origin divine abilities were exhausted, and their bodies were shattered. Had the thousand-odd ordinary Sovereigns not held back, the three would have died on the spot. Meanwhile, the suonas wailed on. Holding his broken sword, Qi Yuan descended beside the three Grand Sovereigns. "You lot were far too disappointing. You brought too few people. I didn't even reach level 200." Saying so, he raised the broken sword to finish them off. Grand Sovereign Mi Kong glared at Qi Yuan with bitter hatred, unable to die in peace: "You... you aren't human!" Qi Yuan did not bother responding. Amidst the desolate cry of the suonas, he slaughtered the three Grand Sovereigns one by one. Before the tune ended, the slaughter was done. Qi Yuan felt utterly bored. He returned to the city wall, looked at the musicians, and said softly, "If only you could be my orchestra for a lifetime, that would be wonderful." Taking a thousand suona-blowing Sovereigns to the mountain of the Palace of Light to play every day... The Palace of Light... wouldn't mean a thing! "To serve the Blood Lord is our greatest honor!" Sovereign Yang Hun said fawningly. While playing their instruments, they had kept their eyes on the slaughter below the entire time. One thousand seven hundred Sovereigns had been wiped out by the Blood Lord in the blink of an eye. What a horrifyingly monumental feat! Sovereign Yang Hun felt ecstatic about his past choice. Fortunately, he had submitted to the Blood Lord early on, earning the chance to become a member of the orchestra the Blood Lord valued most. "Still, you need to practice your playing more. It would be best if a single blast of the suona could be heard a hundred li, even a thousand li away. "Only then would it be worthy of my status." As Qi Yuan spoke, he shook his head again. "Never mind, that would disturb the public too much. What if some little animals are sleeping? "I am a very compassionate person; I certainly couldn't do such a thing." Qi Yuan's voice was indifferent, but hearing it struck everyone present with a bizarre feeling. He calls this compassionate... he slaughters a thousand Sovereigns without batting an eye! They had never seen anyone so 'compassionate.' Sovereign Yang Hun chimed in sycophantically, "To have the Blood Lord is truly the blessing of the Liufeng Realm!" Qi Yuan glanced at Sovereign Yang Hun and remarked dryly, "To have you is truly my blessing as well." Sovereign Yang Hun: "..." For some reason, while the Blood Lord's words sounded like praise, he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't. The battle was over. The orchestra finished their tune and stepped down from the wall. Qi Yuan stood atop the wall, his eyes holding both delight and helplessness. "Level 200 at last." This time, by slaying over a thousand Sovereigns, along with three Grand Sovereigns, and adding all those years of tightening screws in the demonic monstrosity factory, Qi Yuan's level had finally reached 200. "If my deduction is correct, level 209 marks the perfection of the Grand Sovereign realm." Levels 180 through 209 all belonged to the Grand Sovereign realm. Beyond that, was it the Yin God realm? Or was it... something else? "A pity, a pity. After today's battle, I exposed some of my strength. "Now, I doubt anyone in the Blood Palace will dare rebel against me." Qi Yuan was not someone who slaughtered the innocent indiscriminately. Those who tried to harm and kill him, he dispatched with ease. As for the others, even if they were NPCs, Qi Yuan couldn't be bothered to harbor murderous intent toward them. "I'd better expand the Blood Palace's sphere of influence quickly, recruit more Sovereigns, and have them help me gather demonic monstrosities. "If I can't beat the White Emperor and the Venerable, can't I just summon a crowd to beat them?" What if he gathered hundreds of thousands of Sovereigns? Qi Yuan refused to believe that no matter how formidable the White Emperor and the Venerable were, they could slaughter hundreds of thousands of Sovereigns. "As expected, there is strength in numbers!" Of course, that applied to others, not to him. "Now that I'm clearly a Grand Sovereign, why... can't I engrave my origin divine ability onto my physical body and divine soul?" Previously, Qi Yuan had only found cultivating the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture difficult, unable to advance his mastery. Now, his cultivation of the Virtual Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Summons had also hit a snag. It simply wouldn't engrave—not in the slightest! "Is my talent really that terrible?" Qi Yuan felt helpless. At present, the Virtual Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Summons had reached the Subtle level. It was only a step away from the Engraving level. Separated by a mere sheet of window paper, yet it simply could not be engraved. If it were engraved, Qi Yuan would likely become the inner demon of everyone under heaven. A single glance at him would spawn inner demons in their hearts. As for the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture, Qi Yuan remained stuck at the Exhaustion level. To cultivate it to the Subtle level, Qi Yuan guessed he might need to recall everything that had ever happened in this life, forget it all, and then recall it once more. However, his memories after entering the Gate of Myriad Manifestations were indeed somewhat hazy now. Perhaps he needed an opportunity. "Can I only remember by entering the Gate of Myriad Manifestations again?" Qi Yuan pondered. Thinking of the Gate of Myriad Manifestations brought Canary back to mind. Unfortunately, he had never managed to find the person from back then. "Big Brother." Just then, Chen Huan climbed the city wall, a grim, murderous look lingering in his eyes. "The remaining Sovereigns... how should we handle them?" This time, Sovereign Mi Luo had launched an ambush and quite a few Sovereigns of the Blood Palace had rebelled, which infuriated Chen Huan. The remaining Sovereigns' initial inaction had also filled him with resentment. A smile played at the corner of Qi Yuan's mouth. "The ones who stepped forward earlier did quite well. Raise their status in the Blood Palace by a notch." There were ranks within the Blood Palace. Previously, however, those Sovereigns had been utterly undisciplined and cared nothing for such things. Yet after this battle, having witnessed Qi Yuan's terrifying might, how could they ever behave as before? Those positions naturally translated to authority. "As for the rest, let them be as they are. I can't be bothered to manage them or waste thought on it," Qi Yuan said placidly. The art of ruling subordinates? The emperor's craft? Many treated such concepts as sacred dogmas. To Qi Yuan, what was that garbage? He was a player who would leave as soon as the game ended. Why think so much? "Understood!" Chen Huan understood Qi Yuan's temperament and did not try to persuade him otherwise, clasping his hands. At the Sovereign realm, regrowing a physical form was trivial. When he had been ambushed by several Sovereigns back then, one of his arms had been severed, but it had long since grown back. "I intend to enter closed-door cultivation for a time and see no one. "The expansion of the Blood Palace will be left to you. "Every year, I will appear once to preach the Dao. "If Canary is found, send her directly to the underground palace," Qi Yuan instructed. He planned to head down to the underground palace to properly comprehend the origin and enhance his origin divine abilities. Such comprehension could not be obtained simply by grinding monsters. It required Qi Yuan's own diligence. As for expanding the City of No Return, recruiting peak Terrestrial Myths, and capturing demonic monstrosities, Chen Huan could handle all of that. Having spoken, Qi Yuan left the City of No Return directly, making his way into the underground palace outside the city. While contemplating the origin, he still had to slaughter demonic monstrosities and tighten screws, remaining exceptionally industrious. *** Ten years flew by in the blink of an eye. Clad in a blood-red robe, Liu Gaoda stood inside a demon cave with a look of dissatisfaction on his face. "What kind of dogshit demon cave is this? Not a single demonic monstrosity left?" Liu Gaoda hailed from the Blood Palace. Ten years ago, when rebellion broke out, he had stepped forward and earned the Blood Lord's favor. Today, he had become one of the prominent figures in the Blood Palace. "Brother Liu, since there are none here, let's check the next one." A mid-stage Sovereign wore a flattering expression before Liu Gaoda, who was only an early-stage Sovereign. Over the years, the Blood Palace had expanded relentlessly. Many Sovereigns had thrown themselves into its ranks, becoming members of the palace. The old devils of the Northern Lands had either died or joined the Blood Palace. After all, the Blood Palace was simply too terrifying. It might have lacked top-tier combat power, but it had an overwhelming number of Sovereigns. Once, a Grand Sovereign of the Northern Lands had spoken insolently about the Blood Palace's Blood Lord. That very night, three thousand red-robed Sovereigns marched into the Northern Lands. First, they played a tune on the suonas. Then, all three thousand red robes struck together, beating that Grand Sovereign to death right where he stood! From then on, the mighty Grand Sovereigns watched their tongues. They even strictly forbade their descendants from leaving home, terrified that the youngsters might provoke that legendary Blood Lord. The realm was shaken; who did not know of the Blood Palace, and who did not know of the Blood Lord? Legends of the Blood Lord circulated everywhere. The Blood Palace expanded continuously, swallowing up the Northern Lands. Countless demon caves fell into its hands. Every day, an unending stream of demonic monstrosities was delivered into the underground palace. To these Sovereigns, the once-terrifying demonic monstrosities had become prized spoils of war. Demonic monstrosities that previously seemed inexhaustible had now become so scarce that the Sovereigns complained they couldn't snatch a single one! Within the Blood Palace, quite a few clashes had erupted over claims to demon caves and demonic monstrosities! Having accepted the surrender of the Northern Sovereigns, Liu Gaoda had led a contingent here specifically to search for demon caves. "The next demon cave won't be empty too, will it?" Liu Gaoda grumbled helplessly. "It definitely won't be. In the next demon cave, a Grand Sovereign is cultivating. "That Grand Sovereign is a trusted confidant of the Venerable!" the mid-stage Sovereign said. In the world today, the Venerable and the White Emperor had vanished without a trace; only the Grand Sovereigns knew where they had gone. Without the Venerable and the White Emperor, this world belonged to the Blood Lord. "A confidant of the Venerable—Demonic Crocodile?" Liu Gaoda's eyes narrowed. "No, another one. He was... the supreme commander of the Northern Lands during the North-South Accord," the mid-stage Sovereign explained. Liu Gaoda's eyes lit up, a wave of emotion washing over him. Once upon a time, the North-South Accord was seen as the decisive battle that would bring about the Southern Lands' destruction. Now, he had actually marched deep into the Northern Lands, onto the turf of the North's supreme commander. "Let's go!" Liu Gaoda waved a grand hand. *** Deep within the Blood Sea Demon Cave. A terrifying figure opened his eyes, a flicker of doubt in his gaze. "Strange. Why has the number of demonic monstrosities in the cave decreased so drastically?" Demonic monstrosities were an object of fear. Yet to Grand Sovereigns, they were also resources for cultivation. Cultivating with demonic monstrosities allowed them to stabilize their engravings. "Before entering seclusion, I instructed them to regularly release new demonic monstrosities. "And now... they've actually forgotten? Outrageous!" Grand Sovereign Mo Shi flicked his sleeve in fury. He had cultivated in seclusion for thirty years, gaining considerable insights. The day he emerged was supposed to be the day the Northern Lands launched its total offensive against the Southern Lands. Having to emerge ahead of schedule naturally enraged him. Carrying his anger, he stepped out of the Blood Sea Demon Cave. "Hmm?" His eyes narrowed. "Where is everyone?" Whenever he emerged from seclusion, dozens of Sovereigns would always be waiting to welcome him. Yet as he walked out of the Blood Sea Demon Cave, it was completely desolate. Forget Sovereigns—there wasn't even a Terrestrial Myth in sight. Where had everyone gone? Baffled, Grand Sovereign Mo Shi bellowed, "Fierce Tiger, Tong Xiu... where are you?" His voice carried for dozens of li, yet no one answered. "Could it be..." A strange thought rose in his heart. Just then, a voice finally responded: "Grand Sovereign Mo Shi, you're finally awake!" Looking at the newcomer, Grand Sovereign Mo Shi showed a puzzled expression. "Grand Sovereign Peng Lai, what is going on?" "Don't ask! A grand figure from the Blood Palace is arriving soon, we must hurry to greet him!" Grand Sovereign Peng Lai said anxiously. Grand Sovereign Mo Shi was bewildered. "The Blood Palace? What is that—a faction founded by the Venerable?" "No! The Blood Palace was founded by the Blood Lord of the City of No Return in the Southern Lands!" "The Southern Lands?" Murderous intent flashed in Grand Sovereign Mo Shi's eyes. "A southern faction dares set foot in my Northern Lands?!" "Grand Sovereign Mo Shi, rein in your killing intent this instant! The people of the Blood Palace must not be offended!" Grand Sovereign Peng Lai cried in terror. He was deathly afraid of a clash. Who didn't know that the world now belonged to the Blood Palace? "Just what is going on?" Grand Sovereign Mo Shi found it utterly preposterous. "The Blood Palace was established by the Blood Lord, and under his banner are thirty thousand Sovereigns!" Grand Sovereign Mo Shi: "...What did you just say?" During the North-South Accord, both sides combined had only a few thousand Sovereigns. And now he was suddenly told that some random faction had emerged with thirty thousand Sovereigns! This was beyond ridiculous! "It is the absolute truth! Whatever you do, do not provoke the Blood Palace! A few years ago, Grand Sovereign Wu Zui spoke insolently about the Blood Lord. The Blood Palace dispatched three thousand red robes, and they beat him to death with their bare hands!" Grand Sovereign Peng Lai spoke with lingering dread. Grand Sovereign Mo Shi knew of Grand Sovereign Wu Zui—that man had a foul mouth and loved to gossip. Grand Sovereign Mo Shi felt as if a lifetime had passed. "Is what you're saying true?" "Every word!" "How many years was I in seclusion? Could it be... a thousand years?" "You were in seclusion for... twenty-nine years." "..." "Hurry and prepare to welcome the grand figure from the Blood Palace." "But I am the supreme commander of the Northern Lands!" "The Northern Lands are gone, and even the Venerable has vanished! What does your supreme commander count for?" *** Inside the Gate of Myriad Demons. In a desolate wasteland lay an underground stronghold. This stronghold served as an outpost for the Liufeng Realm. Within it, an avatar of the White Emperor looked frail and weary. He gazed at the thirteen figures before him, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "You have finally arrived." Over the years, he had guided the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends into the Gate of Myriad Demons. The realm within the Gate of Myriad Demons was an endless battlefield, fraught with peril. The White Emperor had expended immense effort and endured countless hardships to bring these thirteen people here. He Wu looked at the White Emperor with deep respect. Ning Tao, on the other hand, wore an expression of relief; only the White Emperor commanded such complete trust from He Wu. She gripped a chain tightly in her hand, lost in thought. The rest of the Thirteen Demon Fiends looked upon the White Emperor with curiosity and doubt. "White Emperor, why have you gathered us here?" Ling Yayi, tall and refined, asked slowly. "Can this truly explain the character for 'Demon' branded upon our faces?" Born as demons, they had suffered endless torment. The White Emperor looked at them, a wistful look in his eyes. "In truth, tens of thousands of years ago, you were... my junior brothers and sisters." At these words, everyone's expression shifted slightly. Some were completely bewildered. The statement was simply too strange. Tens of thousands of years ago, they had not even been born, so how could they have been the White Emperor's fellow disciples? Reincarnation was something even Sovereigns could not touch. The White Emperor swept his gaze over the group and finally produced a mirror. "This mirror is called the Mirror of Myriad Demons. In it, you may find your answers." The mirror fractured into thirteen shards, which flew into the hands of each person present. Holding the shard, Ning Tao had a complicated expression. She asked the White Emperor, "Tens of thousands of years ago, did I have a Dao companion?" The White Emperor shook his head. "Even I cannot tell which of you is who." The others exchanged glances, finding the entire matter increasingly bizarre. Yet the White Emperor would hardly deceive them. And even if he did, how could they resist? Then, the White Emperor added, "In the mirror, you may see the scenes etched deepest into your memories, whether of sorrow or of joy." Hearing this, everyone turned their eyes to the mirror shards. With the mirror in one hand and the chain gripped tightly in the other, Ning Tao cast a glance at the blood orb before finally looking down into the mirror. Inside the mirror, the scene shifted. Across a boundless desert, a man clad in a blood-red robe walked through the sands, gripping a longsword. His face seemed veiled behind mist, impossible to discern. Just then, a delicate young girl appeared. Seeing the blood-red robe, her face lit up with joyful surprise. "Blood Pearl!" In the desert, the blood-robed man turned, his voice aloof and ethereal: "Who are you?" He seemed to be speaking to thin air. Before him, within his line of sight, there was clearly nothing. Yet he sensed that someone was there. "I..." The young girl spoke anxiously, trying to say something. Yet the man suddenly drew his sword. "All things in the world are meant to be forgotten. "You should not be here!" With a slash of the sword, the young girl plummeted to the ground like a kite with a severed string. Blood flowed, staining her clothes red. The girl struggled to reach out a hand, wanting to call out to the man ahead. Yet without looking back, the man walked on. "Blood Pearl..." The image froze. Looking at that blood-red robe, Ning Tao wore an inscrutable expression. "Heh..." The other members of the Thirteen Northern Demon Fiends all looked over at the scene in Ning Tao's mirror. For their own mirrors had yet to display anything. An amused look crossed He Wu's face. "Who would have thought that the renowned master of Heavenly Heart Palace would have such a past?" Several present chuckled teasingly. Only the White Emperor had a flicker of sorrowful pity in his eyes. Was this... the Dream of Myriad Demons? Was Master truly... an Archdemon? Was Canary... a demoness? Ning Tao said nothing, her gaze fixed on the mirror.