Demon God Flower

Grave robbing.

For the first fifty years after entering the Underworld, Zhang Huan didn't have to complete any missions, giving him ample time to steal various origins.

The Underworld possessed boundless desolate lands, burying countless corpses.

With the accumulation of years, corpses from different eras and with different physiques gathered, visible everywhere.

Supreme Immortal Bodies, Extreme Cold Bodies, Divine King Bodies – countless numbers of them. It was unknown how many years it took for these physiques, rarely seen in the outside world, to become neighbors.

This place was practically a paradise for cultivators of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art.

While it might not have gathered all the bloodlines of the universe, the ability to create some kind of chaotic monster and forge an incomplete Chaos Body was enough to show the Underworld's vast and profound resources.

If the Holy Son of Yaoguang had cooperated with the Underworld in later generations, forging a Chaos Body probably wouldn't have taken so long.

With the Underworld's foundation and Yaoguang's talent, it might have resulted in a synergy where one plus one equals more than two.

It was truly possible he succeeded!

"At the end of reincarnation, all will fall silent; the Underworld is the destination for all spirits."

Twenty years passed, yet time left no trace on Zhang Huan's face.

Relying on the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art's sensitivity to origins, Zhang Huan reaped considerable rewards.

Normally, when no one was around, he would fish for corpses in the blood river and also frequently visit the small mounds of earth on the ground.

In just twenty years, Zhang Huan had dug out countless dense pits, stealing an unknown number of origins.

For him, the more origins, the stronger he became, so he accepted them all without refusal. He took anything that caught his eye, and the accumulation for the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art had already begun to take shape.

One day, the formations installed in his residence reacted unusually. Zhang Huan rushed back and saw Kun Great Saint with a troubled expression.

"Oh dear, brother, something big has happened!"

As soon as he saw Zhang Huan, Kun Great Saint hurried over, practically jumping with anxiety.

"What could possibly make my elder brother so flustered?"

Zhang Huan looked surprised. Kun Great Saint had visited two or three times before, always unhurriedly, asking Zhang Huan for his decision. He had even offered to extend the deadline if Zhang Huan was undecided.

Why was he acting like a pot about to boil over this time, so impatient?

"Brother, you have no idea. Recently, the strong cultivators of the Underworld have almost all been mobilized. On a small planet in the Canglan Star Domain, a rare treasure has appeared!"

"To snatch it, all factions are going all out, wanting to empty their coffers. It's the same for our Underworld; several Great Saints have already gone. It's likely that soon, even we will have to go to the battlefield!"

Several Great Saints had already died on the battlefield. Kun Great Saint's face was full of sorrow at the thought.

Perhaps he hadn't expected to have to fight after entering the Underworld, and his dream of a leisurely life was shattered, which was why he was so anxious.

After all, those who cultivated Demonic Cultivation Methods, like him, were not skilled in combat. A genius of the same realm could often defeat several of them.

On the battlefield, he could only bully the weak. In a real fight, he was just a bag of experience points.

Furthermore, with the deaths of several Great Saints, Kun Great Saint's sense of crisis intensified.

After all, death meant the end of everything. There were few people in this world who could truly die for the Great Dao; everyone had desires.

"Brother, I'm not forcing you, but this time you absolutely must agree. At least on the battlefield, we'll have each other's backs, so you won't die unjustly, becoming someone's medicine before you've even enjoyed the rest of your life."

His tone carried a hint of pleading. Kun Great Saint had arrived in the Underworld a little earlier than Zhang Huan. His fifty-year term had passed. Although he had tried his best to avoid going to the battlefield, he was now in the Underworld's debt and had to obey orders obediently.

Zhang Huan didn't respond to his plea but instead asked about the cause of this sudden event.

For the Underworld to take it so seriously, its value must be incredibly rare, comparable to an immortal medicine.

"It all started because of a Demon God Flower!"

Kun Great Saint gritted his teeth and said each word.

Demon God Flower!

Zhang Huan's pupils contracted. Such a rare treasure had appeared in this world?

Since ancient times, the universe had circulated the immortal names of three great wondrous flowers.

Although they had always existed in legends and had appeared only a few times throughout history, countless related ancient texts and biographies still existed, and they were highly sought after by all living beings.

Some said that obtaining one could lay the foundation for a great enterprise, leading to the achievement of becoming an unparalleled Great Emperor in the future. This was widely spread.

Related examples were innumerable, but every story that emerged was related to an Emperor. No cultivator could resist the temptation of such a heaven-defying divine object and not go mad for it.

The legends surrounding the three immortal flowers were too shocking, causing their popularity to remain undying.

Especially the Harmony Flower, even Quasi-Emperors would covet it.

In an unfathomably distant era, someone had consumed a Harmony Flower and achieved the status of an unparalleled Great Emperor.

Its effect could be called the world's number one divine object. In its presence, talent and opportunity became a joke; obtaining it was equivalent to obtaining the position of Emperor.

Divine Flower: It represented the pinnacle of beauty. Legend had it that it contained astonishing secrets and the rules of the immortal realm.

As for the Demon God Flower mentioned by Kun Great Saint, Demon Emperor Xue Yueqing had consumed one in his youth.

It transformed him from an ordinary snow rabbit into a peerless prodigy of his generation, eventually defying heaven and proving his Dao.

It was said that the flower contained the Dao power of heaven and earth, possessing extraordinary spirituality. For demons, it was even more precious than a sacred object, and they would go mad for it.

A tiny flower, containing immeasurable laws, can be used to nurture young demon spirits, cleanse their bloodlines, change their spiritual roots, and improve their bone structure. It is naturally close to the Dao and possesses the potential to achieve it.

Its efficacy is so powerful that it is called the supreme flower capable of nurturing demon gods, making it extremely rare.

"If it's truly a Demon God Flower, then it makes sense for the Underworld to make such a big fuss. Obtaining it would be equivalent to obtaining a young demon god with the potential of a Great Emperor."

If such a being were to become an Emperor in the future, wouldn't the universe become the Underworld's private domain? Given their methods, their unrestrained actions could potentially be more terrifying than the Dark Turmoil.

"With such a grand mobilization, has the Underworld decided on the demon seed they wish to cultivate?"

Zhang Huan asked after a brief period of thought.

"Isn't that obvious? Alas, it's truly bizarre."

This question hit Kun Great Saint's sore spot. Normally, the Underworld wouldn't interfere in external disputes; their own domain was already a place of immense fortune, abundant with resources and opportunities.

This was because, a few decades ago, the Underworld had obtained the corpse of a Destined Black Bird.

Even after its death, it had continued to protect a chick egg. Pushing aside its body revealed an eggshell that shimmered with divine essence, resonating with the Great Dao, indicating an extraordinary phenomenon. It was identified as having a bloodline reversion.

Upon learning of this, the higher-ups attached great importance to it. A Quasi-Emperor War Slave was dispatched specifically to escort it back to the Underworld.

The Destined Black Bird is a bird favored by destiny, closely linked to profound concepts like luck and fate.

Some say it is favored by heaven and earth, possesses immense luck, and naturally understands the way of avoiding misfortune and seeking good fortune, even capable of altering one's destiny.

The path of destiny is too profound; for ordinary people, divining heavenly secrets is the limit, far from the divine abilities of the Black Bird.

This species is scarce. Now that the Underworld has obtained one, and it's one whose bloodline has undergone reversion, the higher-ups attach extreme importance to it, placing many hopes and expectations upon it.

The Underworld studies the path of life and death. With the assistance of the path of luck, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

This egg far surpasses its kin. When it hatches in the future, its potential in this path will be limitless.

With the help of the Demon God Flower, it has a great chance of achieving Dao and becoming an Emperor. If controlled by the Underworld, all beings in the universe would be plunged into fear.

"So that's how it is."

Placing a bet on the future, it was no wonder they went to such lengths to compete for the Demon God Flower. It seemed their calculations were already complete.

"How about it, brother? I've told you so much, you must have a clearer idea now."

Kun Great Saint, seeing that he had said enough, urged Zhang Huan to make a decision soon.

After all, time waits for no one. The sooner an alliance was formed, the more peace of mind he would have, and it would at least provide some psychological comfort to Kun Great Saint.

Zhang Huan pondered; he had no interest in this alliance.

The other party had come knocking multiple times. It was better to give a clear answer. He directly refused Kun Great Saint's invitation.

"I apologize, but I truly have no such intentions. Brother Kun, you'll have to fend for yourself. I won't be staying."

Nodding to signal Kun Great Saint, Zhang Huan left without any pretense of politeness and walked back into his residence alone.

Kun Great Saint's expression shifted between emotions, and he finally left with a helpless wave of his sleeve at the entrance.

Since he had not agreed to the other party's request and had offended him, he would inevitably incur resentment.

However, Zhang Huan didn't seem to care. He hadn't even considered Kun Great Saint important.

He hadn't come to the Underworld for scheming and plotting. If he were to be selected for the battlefield in the future, he could use that opportunity to leave the Underworld and sever all ties with them.

"However, with the winds of change blowing, the Underworld will inevitably be internally hollowed out for their schemes. This is the perfect opportunity to make a move."

Zhang Huan's mind raced. He hardened his heart and inflicted a self-inflicted wound upon his cultivation, feigning injury. Not long after, he headed to the main hall of the Underworld's affairs.

Anything needed could be requested directly here. As long as it didn't exceed specifications, most things could be provided, especially since Zhang Huan and others still held nominal authority.

People bustled about in the hall, each busy with their tasks. Topics related to the front lines could be heard intermittently, unlike the desolate atmosphere of the blighted land. The hall was operating at high speed, giving a sense of impending crisis.

After communicating with a supervisor, Zhang Huan arrived at a private chamber.

Zhang Huan was received by a dashing female Saint in uniform, with wavy long hair, exuding an almost overflowing charm.

As the other party inquired, Zhang Huan immediately clutched his chest, his face pale.

"My cultivation has encountered some problems, and I need a large amount of human origin to recover quickly. Do you have any recommended locations?"

"The stronger the better, so I can recover faster. Otherwise, it could lead to minor injuries or even death!"

Zhang Huan spoke with conviction and demonstrated his "Dao injury" on the spot, spitting out a mouthful of blood, causing the attending female Saint to panic.

After searching for a while, the female Saint circled a spot on the map and handed it to Zhang Huan.

"Great Saint, according to the detailed records of the corpses transported by the Yin soldiers, the origin here is dense and contains many special physiques, making it most suitable for you to replenish your vitality."

Zhang Huan smiled and accepted the map, very satisfied. Suppressing his discomfort, he then inquired about the war effort that Kun Great Saint had mentioned earlier.

The female Saint who received him was sweating profusely, stammering as she replied. She didn't know many details and only had a general understanding.

Her level was not high enough to access many inside stories. For the sake of her own life, she quickly implored Zhang Huan to stop asking.

"Never mind, this is enough. You can get back to your work."

Zhang Huan shook his head in disappointment, feeling he had asked enough. He got up and left.

The heroic and dashing female Saint accompanied him all the way to the entrance of the main hall.

It seemed Kun Great Saint had put considerable effort into this matter. Many details were unknown even to the Saints within the system, such as the Black Bird egg, which she had never even heard of.

"Oh, right, do you have a Ghost Saint here who joined the Underworld over a decade ago?"

Before leaving, Zhang Huan suddenly remembered the Old Ghost who had been absorbed by the Underworld and asked the female Saint for help in finding him.

According to the records of the Yin Soldiers that the female Saint had previously consulted, there should be an information database for checking identities.

As expected, after Zhang Huan provided more detailed information, the female Saint found the corresponding Saint without much delay. He had already broken through to become a Saint King and was now ranked as an Underworld General, only two levels below Zhang Huan.

"They took him as one of their own native creatures of the Underworld, interesting."

Zhang Huan didn't inquire about any anomalies. After learning the Old Ghost's location, he left the great hall without a trace.

"This Old Ghost is thriving in the Underworld and even broke through to Saint King. He must have secretly consumed a lot of Origin."

Recalling the Old Ghost's hateful gaze, Zhang Huan felt disgusted and wanted to kill him on the spot. He would definitely kill this person.

"I'll let this Old Ghost help me accumulate some Origin for now. Before I leave the Underworld, I will definitely find him and reunite him with his son."

An Underworld General, not too high-ranking, but not insignificant either.

Before heading to the battlefield, he would harvest this Old Ghost, this sprout of wheat. Even if he left loose ends today, by the time the matter was exposed, he would have already slipped away. What could the Underworld do to him?

Right now, he would gather as much Origin as he could. The Underworld was understaffed, and the powerful cultivators couldn't manage everything. He would take this opportunity of the war to extort a hefty sum from the Underworld.

Lost in thought, Zhang Huan arrived at an ancient burial ground.

According to the senses of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, hundreds and thousands of various Origins were buried here, along with countless other miscellaneous items, burying innumerable geniuses.

Zhang Huan's face lit up with joy. He broke through the simple restrictions on the burial ground. His eyes swept over the colorful Origins. This burial ground alone was worth several years of his previous efforts!

He suspected that these burial grounds in the Underworld were also tiered. Having dug for so long, Zhang Huan had learned the ropes and knew that this place was clearly better than any burial ground he had explored before.

With so many useful Origins available to him, those hidden and precious burial grounds must contain even more valuable Origins.

He extracted the Origins from the corpses and refined them with the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art. The multicolored light clusters were instantly devoured like a whale, turning into essence and being absorbed into his stomach.

"Too little," Zhang Huan operated his Demonic Cultivation Method and sensed that if he wanted to form a Divine Embryo, this foundation was far from enough. He would need at least dozens more burial grounds like this to devour.

"In the past, I was cautious. Upon first entering the Underworld, I feared revealing myself and ruining my efforts, so I never explored those burial grounds sealed by powerful restrictions."

"Now, I have no worries!"

A fierce glint appeared in Zhang Huan's eyes. He fixed his gaze on the burial grounds of Quasi-Emperor and Great Saint level from across the void.

He had also cultivated Origin Arts and had achieved considerable mastery. If he had this idea, he would definitely succeed.

Amidst an ancient mountain range, clear springs flowed, and lush vegetation covered the land, with birds and beasts chirping and calling.

This place was not a blessed land, yet it existed in the Underworld, a place filled with death qi. The vital energy was abundant, forming a stark contrast with the netherworld outside the mountain range.

Looking at this place from a thousand miles away, it appeared desolate, with no signs of high mountains or large trees. The entire mountain range was shrouded in formations, hidden within the cursed land.