The Demon Had Arrived, and Catastrophe Was Imminent

Sensing Hua Yunxiao's thoughts, Su Li knew he could no longer delay, much less escape.

Otherwise, the very next moment, the other man would take him to the forbidden ancestral grounds of the Hua Clan under the pretense of "protecting" him.

Once he reached the Hua Clan, he would never have a chance to rise again.

To an existence in Hua Lingshang's condition, the only thing to consider was how to kill him, take over his body, and then fully revive the infant soul.

So Su Li staged a little performance himself, bringing his nonexistent "master" onto the scene.

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Li raised his left hand and lifted his wrist to his brow, pressing the Five Emperors Ancient Coin he wore there against the spot between his eyebrows.

Then he sat cross-legged, facing east, his expression calm.

Previously, he had been very wary when making deductions. Ever since he had encountered Yaolan's blood-red eyes locking onto him, he had avoided casually deducing anything about especially powerful figures!

For example, the one he had identified through Yun Qingxuan as the man who would have the last laugh: Gongcheng Tiansheng.

For example, Hua Lingshang, whom he had also identified through Yun Qingxuan and who had sent a message to Hua Yunxiao.

And then there was Zhuge Wuwei!

But what did he have to fear this time?

Something unusual had happened to him. No matter where that anomaly came from, it couldn't be simple, could it?

After sitting down, before closing his eyes, Su Li had already locked onto Yun Qingxuan and opened her Life Archive.

Then, from her past experiences, he had pulled up Gongcheng Tiansheng's Life Archive.

This indirect lock-on gave him less information, and looking into Gongcheng Tiansheng's future Life Archive would cost far more Heavenly Secrets Value.

But Su Li had no other choice now.

If one Gongcheng Tiansheng wasn't enough, he'd make another deduction about Zhuge Wuwei and lock onto the "strongest person" Zhuge Wuwei had encountered to take a look.

The past records of these people would surely contain at least one "super badass."

And Su Li could find that person through the Life Archive.

Then, by locking onto them indirectly, he could look into some of their information.

Most of these supremely powerful beings had one thing in common: when someone looked into their Life Archives, they would sense it—and might even "hunt them down and take their lives"!

Yaolan, the one behind Fang Yueheng, had already proved that once.

Whether the same thing would happen now would depend on how things went this time.

"Master, this disciple would never forget."

Su Li suddenly spoke.

Zhuge Wuwei and Hua Yunxiao exchanged a glance, then looked around, but saw nothing.

Even so, neither of them attacked at once.

Zhuge Qingchen, Hua Ziyan, and Fang Yueheng watched with eager curiosity and anticipation.

A hint of worry lurked deep in Mu Yuxi's eyes.

Yun Qingxuan simply stared in silence, her expression as indifferent as ever.

"Master, where the Dao exists, there lies the mandate of heaven."

After a moment, Su Li spoke again, his expression thoughtful.

"So that's how it is. The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. Thus, ever free of desire, one observes its mysteries; ever filled with desire, one observes its manifestations. These two arise together but differ in name. Both are called profound. Profound upon profound—the gateway to all mysteries."

Su Li looked enlightened, then continued, "The Daoist gate opens, and the demon soul returns? Master, the Gate of the Mysterious Female is still in turmoil. Why..."

"Your guidance, Master, shall never be forgotten by this disciple. Keep your heart untroubled, be not ensnared by emotion, fear not the future, and dwell not on the past. In life, be as brilliant as summer flowers; in death, be as serene as autumn leaves. This is my destined tribulation. My inner demons are gone, and I face it without fear."

As he spoke, Su Li locked onto Gongcheng Tiansheng.

"Lightblue, lock onto 'Gongcheng Tiansheng' and view his Life Archive."

[This viewing will consume 20000 Heavenly Secrets Value. Confirm?]

"Confirm."

The first person Su Li chose was Gongcheng Tiansheng!

Because, of everyone so far, he was the one who could make it to the end of this setup!

After Yaolan, bearing the Short Sword Holy Artifact, had successfully revived her demon soul, Yun Qingxuan had used the Soul Perishing Tea Can and Soul Locking Tower—two heaven-defying holy artifacts—to suppress her on the spot!

Yet even after Yun Qingxuan had transformed and grown stronger still, she had been unable to kill Gongcheng Tiansheng with a sneak attack. That showed just how formidable he was!

Don't be fooled by Yun Qingxuan's current cultivation of late-stage ninth level of the Golden Core Realm, just shy of the Nascent Soul Realm. It might seem low.

But after Yun Qingxuan had reached the end of her road and suppressed Yaolan, her cultivation and strength had surged countless times over. Her power was terrifying!

And that was before considering the Soul Locking Tower and Soul Perishing Tea Can in her hands. They were top-tier holy artifacts, and she could unleash most of their power through a secret art!

One could imagine the power of a sneak attack under those circumstances!

Gongcheng Tiansheng had been injured when she hit him, but only lightly. In turn, he had struck Yun Qingxuan once, grievously wounded her, then subdued her in two moves and took the Nine Desolations Tower and Soul Perishing Tea Can.

At the instant Su Li confirmed the request, the system's screen before him displayed a stream of text, flowing like water.

But the information twisted at terrifying speed.

In an instant, it became a raging sea, a roaring torrent of blood that surged violently toward him.

At that moment, Su Li felt as if the towering waves of blood would completely engulf and devour him.

But when the bloody tide crashed before him, an intensely scorching aura suddenly rose from the space between his eyebrows.

Then his whole body shuddered. Deep in his bloodline and soul, it was as if an ancient soul let out a low growl and roar.

It was as though his bloodline and soul had formed some kind of bond, spanning time and space, with the five emperor phantoms within the Five Emperors Ancient Coin.

That bone-piercing, scorching aura stabbed fiercely into the space between his eyebrows.

Su Li shuddered. In an instant, the system's "metaphysical" knowledge filled his entire body, as if a spring of knowledge had poured into him from above. Every limb and bone felt utterly clear.

Su Li felt that something had surely changed within him at that moment.

But he didn't know what, exactly, had changed.

And what would be the consequences of forcibly viewing a peerless powerhouse's Life Archive?

He no longer thought about it.

At that moment, the blood in his body seemed to have been completely ignited by the scorching energy, so much so that his three souls and seven spirits formed an invisible connection.

Then the Five Emperors Ancient Coin seemed to transform into five phantom totems, each bearing an emperor's will. They gradually merged together and entered his soul.

The next instant, a sharp pain stabbed Su Li's eyes. The blood-red waves that had been raging like a stormy sea were directly crushed by a towering will, sweeping them away like dry leaves before a gale.

Then an endless stream of information came pouring in.

It was all detailed information from Gongcheng Tiansheng's file.

[Gongcheng Tiansheng: Male, 3731 years old.

Realm: Ninth level of the Infant Transformation Realm (infant soul split) (Dao wound not yet healed) (two infant souls).

Talents: Five Elements Divine Lightning (Saint-grade, 3 stars), Mysterious Qi Movement (Spirit-grade, 6 stars) (continuously increasing).

Nascent Soul: Saint Infant (7 stars)

Constitution: Five Thunder Saint Body (Saint-grade, 5 stars).

Fate: Baleful Fate and Nether Transformation, Demon Soul Revival.

Current mindset: Hmph, that little brat from the Zhuge family dares spy on me? Just what I need. My infant soul is in urgent need of transformation, so I'll refine him to death and make that old bastard Zhuge Chunqiu suffer for a while!

...]

While Su Li was secretly using the system, Zhuge Wuwei and Hua Yunxiao were observing him closely as well.

But the two of them truly sensed no fluctuations of energy. All they could hear was Su Li muttering to himself.

What Su Li said was indeed shocking.

But it could still be faked. If he had happened to obtain an ancient inheritance, then everything could be explained.

Yet it wasn't long before Zhuge Wuwei and Hua Yunxiao stopped thinking that way.

Su Li, who had shown no sign of movement just a moment ago, suddenly had a golden-red light shine between his eyebrows.

This light was neither Dao resonance nor Dao marks. It was far more complex and ancient than either, more powerful and heaven-defying, and it made their very souls tremble!

As the light rapidly enveloped Su Li, an extraordinarily powerful, profound, ancient, and invincible phantom suddenly appeared behind him.

It was only a phantom, yet it seemed to be clad in the radiance of ten thousand Dao and to carry a majestic aura that suppressed all ages!

That aura did not spill outward. It seemed carved into his bones, deep within his soul.

It was as though this noble fate, innate to him, already far surpassed the level of every living being in this age!

He was like a peerless emperor of the world, looking down on all under heaven and ruling over the firmament!

This aura truly stunned Zhuge Wuwei and Hua Yunxiao.

More frightening still, the phantom seemed to be changing!

And every time it took on a new form, it was as if another emperor had descended into the mortal world, so heart-poundingly awe-inspiring was the sight!

Zhuge Wuwei nearly found himself pinned down by that terrifying majesty, which could suppress everything between heaven and earth, and forced to kneel and kowtow on the spot!

No matter how uncertain he was, he temporarily set aside his thoughts of subduing Su Li.

Just as Zhuge Wuwei was about to watch Su Li closely and see whether his master had intervened or whether the five golden round coins had caused this, the sky was suddenly covered by a sea of blood.

As the blood sea surged, its enormous waves rolled like a raging ocean and swept straight toward the entire Wanli Holy Land.

Two blood-red eyes, each hundreds of meters across, glared out from the waves, vicious and terrifying.

But those eyes had already locked onto Su Li across the void.

And Zhuge Wuwei stood right behind him.

Sensing that vicious, baleful aura, brimming with murderous intent, Zhuge Wuwei immediately unleashed the power of his Nascent Soul and deployed all his Heavenly Secrets techniques.

But he should have known better than to move. The instant he did, he only provoked Gongcheng Tiansheng further.

Gongcheng Tiansheng had originally locked onto the area where Su Li was.

Now, his gaze shifted directly onto Zhuge Wuwei.

Then the blood sea roared madly. Its towering waves blotted out the sky and blotted out the sun, bearing a killing intent that could destroy heaven and earth as they crashed down!

"BOOM—"

That scene was like the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart.

Zhuge Wuwei hadn't even struck before he was overwhelmed by the aura, unable to release a shred of his strength!

His face went pale with shock.

Hua Yunxiao's Heavenly Secrets Sacred Jade in his hand shone with dazzling white light, but it only briefly held back the crushing blood sea.

The blood sea was about to sweep down and wipe everything out.

At that moment, Yun Qingxuan silently retreated some distance, ready to flee at any moment.

Mu Yuxi withstood the terrifying pressure and struggled toward Su Li, hoping to help him bear some of it.

The aura shook Hua Ziyan and seemed to stir her still-unstable Nascent Soul, triggering a backlash. She coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Even so, she hurried to Su Li's side, wanting to protect him.

Yun Wanchu trembled, his face deathly pale. Was the Wanli Holy Land about to be wiped out already?

This was happening far too fast!

Right, Master Su!

Master Su's master!

"Master Su, Master Su, please, please have your master intervene! Hurry..."

Yun Wanchu came to his senses, then pleaded in shock and terror.

This sudden, terrifying killing intent... it was far beyond anything he could withstand.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Zhuge Wuwei was at the forefront. Once locked onto, he couldn't move at all, and blood began to pour from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

But right then, the phantom behind Su Li solidified into a hazy figure much like him.

The hazy figure stood motionless in the void, and a divine radiance suddenly gathered in its eyes.

"PFFT—"

The divine radiance shot out. In the sky, the blood sea, surging like a raging ocean, instantly shattered and burst apart, turning into bloody mist and dust.

The next instant, the sky cleared, bright and cloudless.

The ghastly scene that had filled the world vanished all at once, as if it had been nothing but an illusion.

Yun Wanchu was the first to recover. He immediately knelt and kowtowed, full of gratitude. "Thank you, senior! Thank you, senior, for saving us! Thank you, Master Su..."

Yun Wanchu's voice roused everyone from their shock, terror, and uncertainty.

Zhuge Wuwei had also recovered by then.

His expression grave, he cast a thoughtful glance at the five round coins on Su Li's left wrist, their color now back to normal.

By the time all of Gongcheng Tiansheng's information had poured into Su Li's mind, he had already regained his senses.

It was then that he noticed the people around him seemed to have changed somehow.

He immediately locked onto Mu Yuxi, opened her Life Archive, and looked back at what had happened earlier.

In an instant, he understood.

The next moment, he opened Zhuge Qingchen's, Fang Yueheng's, and even Yun Wanchu's Life Archives, checking what they had experienced just now.

Only then did he finally breathe a little easier.

But he had also realized something important: Zhuge Wuwei had seen the strange phenomenon caused by the Five Emperors Ancient Coin!

When Su Li had made this decision, he had already realized he would have to deal with this potential crisis.

So he had already made preparations.

He silently stood up, not even glancing at Yun Qingxuan, who had just been about to flee.

That woman was too rational, too pragmatic.

"Senior Zhuge, my master has left. He only casually warned the attacker earlier.

"For a short while, that person should be too intimidated by my master to act recklessly.

"However, my master gave me some guidance, and I have also grasped a key piece of information!

"So there is a serious problem we must resolve immediately.

"Otherwise, when faced with the apocalypse, we are doomed to lose!"

Su Li's tone was extremely serious!

He was ready to take the initiative!

You want to mess with me? Then I'll mess with you first!

"What information?"

Zhuge Wuwei fell silent for a moment, his expression solemn.

As he answered, his gaze unconsciously swept over the Five Emperors Ancient Coin on Su Li's left wrist.

"Senior Hua."

Su Li glanced at Hua Yunxiao, then at Hua Ziyan and the others beside him.

Hua Yunxiao pondered briefly, then raised his hand and conjured a vacuum zone, blocking everyone else's hearing and sight.

It enclosed only Su Li, Zhuge Wuwei, and Hua Yunxiao himself.

"Now, Master Su, you may speak."

Hua Yunxiao's feelings were exceedingly complicated at that moment.

"Senior Hua, do you remember what I told you earlier about our 'ancestor bringing calamity' and 'Washing Ancestral Bones'?"

Su Li suddenly blurted out.

At his words, Hua Yunxiao's mind shook.

Zhuge Wuwei's expression also changed abruptly, a flicker of horror passing through his eyes.

It wasn't that he couldn't keep his composure. Rather, the succession of shocks he had already endured, combined with Su Li's words just now, had shaken him too deeply!

Su Li seemed not to notice their changing expressions. He sighed and said, "It's too late. The ancestral bones in the Hua Clan's ancestral grounds have already been demonized, and a demonic soul has descended. Even if you dig up the ancestral grave and cleanse the ancestral bones now, it's too late!

"One of the Hua Clan's ancestors should have already completed his demonic soul's revival!

"Senior Zhuge, Senior Hua, the demons have descended, and a great calamity is at hand! You must make your choices as soon as possible!"

Thanks to reader 'Ling Yehan' for supporting me with a Grand Alliance! I'll release a special bonus chapter after the book goes on sale to show my gratitude~

Thanks to reader 'Fusheng Ruomeng Wusheng Ban' for the 500 Qidian Coins! Thank you so, so much~