Tentacles of the Myriad Demons Realm

Qi Yuan stood tall in the ring against the wind, feeling rather pleased with himself. He had won the very first National Martial Arts Tournament. Winning the championship meant stardom. Endorsements and commercial appearances would be his for the taking if he wanted them. The trajectory of his life had shifted entirely. Yet at that moment, the entire tournament venue was plunged into bewildered silence. "Fire?" "Where did he go?" "Did he just blow up into a mist of blood?" "Is this still the martial arts I know?" In the blink of an eye, the clash between Qi Yuan and Zhang Yang had defied all expectations. At first, Zhang Yang had shredded his shirt with a display of brute force. Though uncanny, that had still fallen within the bounds of what the crowd could accept. Afterward, what was with his fists bursting into flames? Had he smuggled high tech onto the stage? And after that, the flaming-fisted Zhang Yang had been struck squarely by Qi Yuan's single punch, bursting into a mist of blood. What on earth was that? Confusion, doubt, shock... "Are you sure they aren't shooting a movie?" "Is it a magic trick?" "How could a living human being be beaten into bloody mist?" "This makes no scientific sense!" Not only were the spectators baffled, but even the tournament organizers were dumbfounded. A balding senior executive stood up, his face filled with perplexity, yet he still barked loudly, "Cut the live broadcast immediately!" The tournament's live broadcast ran on a three-minute delay. Whenever an incident like this occurred, past experience dictated that simply cutting the feed was enough. Just then, a voice laced with subtle complexity rang out. "Keep broadcasting. Everything proceeds according to the rules." Hearing this, the balding executive grew anxious. "An incident of this scale could incite public panic and cause needless trouble for society!" The balding executive knew about the existence of the immortal path. The higher-ups clearly were not ready to reveal this to the general public yet. Naturally, what puzzled him most was that what Qi Yuan had used was plainly martial arts. How had he managed to defeat Zhang Yang, who had unleashed immortal arts? "Panic doesn't matter; the rules do. Everything proceeds according to the rules!" The young voice turned sharper and firmer. Resentment welled up within the balding executive. These silver-spoon brats—parachuted in out of nowhere to serve as the chief director of the tournament—had no vision whatsoever. Could something like this really be allowed to leak out? And claiming rules were the most important? Rules weren't worth a fart! Though cursing internally, the balding executive did not dare talk back. Nearby, an old man wore an expression uglier than if his own mother had died. "It's over... Zhang Yang is dead... Will the Zhang family take it out on us?" In the past, Qi Yuan had displayed peerless martial talent, coming close to breaking the martial arts limit. The old man had thought highly of him and sought a meeting, only to be turned away at the door without ever seeing Qi Yuan. Ever since, he had harbored resentment toward this arrogant prodigy. Later, once he learned of the immortal path, his attention had been completely captured by Zhang Yang. As for breaking the martial arts limit? What was that compared to immortality? It wasn't even fit to carry the immortal path's shoes! Thus, he had ingratiated himself with Zhang Yang, hoping to gain access to the immortal path through him. Thinking of this, the old man abruptly shot to his feet. "My lord, this boy struck to kill on the stage, taking Zhang Yang's life! He must be detained and handed over to give the Zhang family an explanation!" Zhang Yang held a high status within the Zhang family, and the Zhangs were a prominent, illustrious clan. With Zhang Yang killed, the old man had no idea how they could possibly answer to them. The young man's gaze turned razor-sharp. "On the ring, life and death are determined by fate. Everything must adhere to the rules. Zhang Yang is dead... so he's dead. That is the rule of the ring." Seeing this, the old man grew frantic. "But we must give the Zhang family an explanation!" The balding executive chimed in with sarcastic sneering, "If the Zhang family lays blame, I fear even you, my lord, will not be able to shoulder it." This parachuted youth certainly had some backing, but serving as chief director of a martial tournament meant his stature couldn't be all that grand. Compared to the Zhang family, he was likely far outmatched. The young man's eyes chilled. "It seems you two need a stay in a prison cell to clear your heads. As for the Zhang family, I shall notify them personally—and see if they dare demand an explanation!" The moment his words fell, several fully armed soldiers strode into view, raising their rifles to aim directly at the balding executive and the old man. The young man lifted his phone and dialed a number. "Zhang Mingyuan, I hear your Zhang family... needs an explanation?" The young man took an accusatory tone, his voice brimming with displeasure. "I want an explanation from your Zhang family!" Nearby, the balding executive and the old man paled dramatically. Above all, the obsequious, groveling voice of Patriarch Zhang Mingyuan coming from the speaker shocked and bewildered them beyond measure. The dead man belonged to the Zhang family, so why was the Zhang family head sounding so utterly humble and terrified? Suddenly, the balding executive and the old man looked toward the ring, shock dawning in their eyes. Could it be... *** "Finally won the championship." Back in the hotel room, Qi Yuan let out a breath of relief. This game quest was finally making progress. Canary sat nearby, seemingly watching the broadcast replay, little stars twinkling in her eyes. "You know, Blood Pearl, that punch of yours was pretty handsome." As she spoke, she glanced at Qi Yuan not far away, as if comparing him to the video. "Do you think it's bad that we ran off without doing the interview? What if the organizers make trouble and strip my championship title?" Qi Yuan asked carefully. After winning the championship, one was supposed to give interviews and deliver an acceptance speech. When roleplaying as the Blood-Robed Sword God, Qi Yuan had been quite articulate, reeling off profound philosophical speeches one after another. But that had been behind an avatar, not speaking in the flesh. He was naturally eloquent in that context. In reality, however, he was not good with words. When confronting enemies, he even felt mild social anxiety. Whenever opponents launched into long-winded tirades, he usually couldn't win the argument, so he simply resorted to action. For someone with social anxiety, why waste breath when you could just throw hands? "I doubt it," Canary said with certainty. "If anyone dares revoke your championship, this young lady will personally step in and take it right back for you!" "That's good, then." Qi Yuan stretched lazily. Living off a capable woman really was sweet. Having a capable fiancée saved so much trouble. "Blood Pearl, if you find public attention bothersome, I could cast a Dao technique... to make people in this world subconsciously overlook you. They'll still know you exist, but in most circumstances, they won't think to mention you. What do you think? That way, even if you're a public figure, nobody will sneak photos of you on the street," Canary said with a smile. Qi Yuan considered it and nodded earnestly. "Sounds good." Canary smiled. "I'll need to borrow the power of your Stellar Golden Core for this. Otherwise, it'll take me quite a while to cast." "Do as you please." Qi Yuan didn't mind. "Alright." A fiery red gleam flashed through Canary's eyes. In an instant, a layer of golden light seemed to wash over heaven and earth. Many people looked up at the sky, casting a glance at the extra sun hanging above, before casually turning their gaze away as though nothing had happened at all. "Done." Canary dusted her small hands off. "This won't affect our game experience. It'll just keep away the paparazzi and anyone with ulterior motives." "Nice, that saves a lot of trouble. Otherwise, if we go get a marriage certificate when we get back and someone snaps photos to post online, it'd be too annoying." Qi Yuan valued his privacy greatly. Hearing his words, the tips of Canary's ears flushed red. She sat in her chair, swinging her legs back and forth, clearly in high spirits. "Alright, now I can take you home without any worries!" *** Deep in the starry sky. Pitch black, yet laced with an illusory quality, it seemed somewhat different from a true starry expanse. A cold, metallic warship cut through the void as countless small reconnaissance craft detached from its hull and returned in turns. These small vessels represented the latest generation of reconnaissance drones from Can Star, built to survey and gather intelligence on Arch Star. At that moment, in front of the main display, the captain in his star-faring combat suit raised an eyebrow, his eyes surging with belligerence. "What are the results of the investigation?" The captain was a fanatic hawk, his mind constantly set on colonizing Arch Star. However, the Eyes of the Sky deployed around Arch Star proved difficult to deal with, and conquering the planet outright would cost Can Star dearly. For that reason, they had instead chosen to back certain nations, instigating civil conflict on Arch Star while draining its resources through trade. Recently, however, Can Star had received intelligence that thirteen Eyes of the Sky had been obliterated. That amounted to nearly a sixth of Arch Star's orbital defense disappearing overnight, tearing open a massive vulnerability in its security net. This was Can Star's prime opportunity. In terms of technological prowess, Can Star far surpassed Arch Star. It was only because Arch Star had unearthed an unknown heritage—an aircraft carrier from a lost civilization—that they had managed to launch the Eyes of the Sky into orbit and stand against Can Star. Arch Star lacked the ability to replicate them; lose one, and it was gone for good. The captain's blood surged, as if boundless military glory lay just within reach. "Reporting to the captain: our reconnaissance indicates... that internal strife broke out among the Seven Martial Stars families. The other clans besieged and annihilated the Mu family," a man in specialized uniform answered. "Internal strife?" The result caught the captain off guard. To wipe out their own Eyes of the Sky over mere infighting? What a squandering of precious assets. "Could there be... some key factor behind this that we don't know about?" The captain instinctively sensed things could not be so simple. "You worry too much, Captain. Don't humans always relish infighting?" A voice suddenly chimed in aboard the bridge. Through the spacious command deck, a demonic wind whipped up, whirling like a miniature tornado. When it settled, a bizarre man with four horns atop his head appeared, his double pupils gleaming with an exotic luster. The strange man gazed at the front screen, staring intently at the distant azure planet, fanaticism and obsession burning in his eyes. "What a delicious world. I can almost hear our ancestral blood calling out to me." The captain looked at the horned man with deep reverence. "Does my lord believe there are no hidden factors at play?" The captain knew this strange visitor hailed from an alien world: a mighty realm known as the Myriad Demons Realm, a domain ruled by formidable demons. According to genomic mapping, the humans of Can Star shared a common ancestor with the inhabitants of the Myriad Demons Realm. That humans and demons shared a common origin sounded bizarre. When the Myriad Demons Realm first appeared, Can Star had been wary and resistant. But when the realm's powerhouses arrived and met with the nearly two hundred leaders of Can Star, bestowing upon them youth and vigor, Can Star's attitude shifted completely. The elders of the captain's own family had also received blessings and gifts from the Myriad Demons Realm. Thus, they held boundless awe for these alien beings, whose divine arts and sheer strength were terrifyingly potent. "Does it matter whether there is a hidden reason?" The double-pupiled man's expression was ecstatic. "Whatever trump cards Arch Star possesses, it is destined to become territory of our Myriad Demons Realm. Only by securing the ancestral blood will our realm become great once more. The losses from the previous Great Tribulation were far too severe!" During the previous era, the former Myriad Demon King had allied with a demoness, mobilizing every Sovereign to descend upon a foreign realm. Who could have foreseen that over ten thousand Sovereigns would perish or become stranded there, with only a handful ever returning? That battle had crippled the Myriad Demons Realm, forcing the old king to abdicate in disgrace. With the rise of the new king, the realm had slowly begun to regain its vitality, yet it remained far below its golden prime. Now, having caught the scent of ancestral blood on Arch Star, how could they not be thrilled? If they claimed that ancestral blood, the Myriad Demons Realm would reap unimaginable fortune! The entire realm might even gain the opportunity to ascend to the Upper Realm. "The Qilin Battleship shall serve as your right hand, my lord!" the captain declared hastily. The double-pupiled man nodded. "Once the elders of our clan arrive, Arch Star will be swept clean. Those Eyes of the Sky... are nothing more than oversized toys." Though he maintained healthy caution regarding the Eyes of the Sky, he firmly believed the clan elders could counter them. Those elders were terrifying beings who stood half a step from ascending to the Upper Realm. No matter how formidable an Eye of the Sky was, it remained an inanimate object. Brimming with confidence, the double-pupiled man continued, "If I remember correctly, you maintain ties with certain nations on Arch Star? This venerable one wishes to descend to Arch Star first to have a look." "Certainly," the captain agreed at once, though he hesitated before adding, "Please exercise caution, my lord, and do not reveal your identity. If you provoke the Eye of the Sky into targeting you, I fear..." He left the rest unsaid. The Eyes of the Sky were terrifying; rumor had it they could strike down even gods. Their own battleships were powerful, but still an entire tier below an Eye of the Sky. "Mm, I understand." The double-pupiled man was no fool. Powerful as he was, contending with Can Star's super-battleships was already difficult, let alone the Eyes of the Sky that surpassed them. "I will make the arrangements at once," the captain said promptly. Though Can Star and Arch Star were hostile adversaries, communication and commerce between them were never entirely severed. The double-pupiled man stared at the azure planet in the distance, his eyes glazed with infatuation. "Truly... a unique world." *** Meanwhile, in Tianyue City. Qi Yuan held Canary's hand as they returned to his apartment. Canary gripped his hand tightly, feeling somewhat nervous. The door swung open, and the robot Zero-One appeared at the entrance, a smile flickering in its mechanical eyes. "Welcome home, Master and Mistress!" "So this is Zero-One. It's quite good-looking." Canary blushed slightly. Despite everything she had experienced, her bashful nature remained unchanged. She peered into the apartment. Cut-paper Double Happiness characters were pasted across the walls, and wedding candies were laid out neatly on the table, giving the entire home a festive, celebratory air. Even Xie Xinsu the cat wore a small "Double Happiness" character pasted on its back, looking utterly adorable. Canary clung to Qi Yuan's hand, looking this way and that with palpable excitement. "Master, Zero-One checked the calendar. Tomorrow is an auspicious day for marriage." Canary's face instantly flushed crimson.