"Ding, congratulations, host, on completing the mission to unify the continent. Mission rewards are being distributed."
As Zhou Qiong cultivated, his cultivation kept climbing: fifth level of Profound Understanding, sixth level of Profound Understanding, seventh stage Profound Understanding. Finally, it stopped at peak seventh stage Profound Understanding.
The surrounding space began constantly pushing against Zhou Qiong, as though trying to forcibly squeeze him out of this continent, but the Heaven-Avoiding Stone against his chest kept emitting light. After a struggle, space slowly began to stabilize and no longer rejected Zhou Qiong.
Zhou Qiong opened his status panel.
Character: Zhou Qiong (Zhou Wudi) Position: Demon Sect leader Cultivation: Peak seventh stage Profound Understanding Martial arts: Demon God Scripture, Firmament Life and Death Hand, Gods and Devils Eye, Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, second layer Mount: Demon Dragon Flying Carriage
At the Demon Sect's court assembly, its senior members stood in ranks along both sides of the hall. Zhou Qiong sat upright above them as before, with the red-robed Liansheng standing beside him.
Liansheng bowed to Zhou Qiong. "Reporting to the Sect Leader, the Great Yu Dynasty has been destroyed. The Great Wilderness Dynasty, the Great Qian Dynasty, Yellow Sand Fort, and the Talisman Sect have all submitted to our sect and are willing to pay tribute every year."
"Mm, well done!"
"Liansheng, for your capable service, you are rewarded with three months of cultivation in the Great Ten Thousand Demons Pool."
"All other protectors, hall masters, and demon kings are rewarded with one month of cultivation in the Great Ten Thousand Demons Pool."
"Thank you, Sect Leader," the Demon Sect members said with a bow.
Everyone's face brimmed with joy. Even Liansheng showed a hint of delight. Recently, two sacred grounds had appeared in the Demon Sect: the Demon Saint Hall and the Great Demon Saint Hall. Both had been created by the Sect Leader. They had all cultivated in the Small Ten Thousand Demons Pool inside the Demon Saint Hall and gained tremendous benefits there.
The Great Ten Thousand Demons Pool had only appeared in the past two days. It was said to be more than ten times as effective as the Small Ten Thousand Demons Pool, so cultivating there would certainly yield even better results.
"Di Yi, report on our Demon Sect's strength!" Zhou Qiong said in a deep voice.
Di Yi, dressed in black robes and wearing a golden mask, stepped forward and bowed as he reported, "Reporting to the Sect Leader, excluding the Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow Four Divisions, our Demon Sect currently has two at the third level of Profound Understanding, four at the second level of Profound Understanding, twenty at the first level of Profound Understanding, over three hundred in the Martial Emperor Realm, and over two thousand in the Martial Emperor Realm."
Of course, these numbers did not include Zhou Qiong. No one knew exactly what realm Zhou Qiong was in now. They only guessed that he had long since surpassed the Martial God Realm. He might even have advanced far into Profound Understanding, but no one could know exactly which level he had reached.
"It is still far from enough. Liansheng!" Zhou Qiong said in a deep voice.
"Your subordinate is here!" Liansheng bowed and answered from beside him.
"Expand our Demon Sect. Resources can be supplied without limit. Open the Small Ten Thousand Demons Pool; anyone who contributes to the Demon Sect may enter. I will give you one year. One year from now, I will take you all to ascend to the Upper Realm."
"As you command!" Liansheng answered with a bow.
After everyone dispersed, Zhou Qiong pondered silently. He also planned to make good use of this year. The exact situation in the Upper Realm was unknown, and he needed to make thorough preparations.
"System, how many unused Villain Points do I have?"
"Host, you still have eight hundred thousand Villain Points. You can exchange them for many items!"
"What would you recommend I buy?"
"The Xuanhuan Gods and Devils Pill. Host, you may have great need of this. It costs five hundred thousand Villain Points!"
Zhou Qiong opened the shop, flipped to the Xuanhuan Gods and Devils Pill's page, and read its description. He was immediately startled! Written there was:
"The Xuanhuan Gods and Devils Pill was casually refined by an unknown existence. Only one exists in the world, and it rivals a divine artifact. Consuming it can raise the host's cultivation by one major realm, but the host can only unleash three attacks at that realm's cultivation. Its medicinal effects will automatically disappear after three years."
Damn, this really is a divine artifact for showing off. One major realm-System, what realm would that be?
"Host, above Profound Understanding is Eternal, also known as Eternal Hegemon. Above Eternal is True Martial, and above True Martial is Great Luo."
"System, are there realms above Great Luo?"
"Yes. You will learn about them in the future."
"System, is there anything else you recommend buying?"
"Yes, -"
Time flew, the days darting past like a weaver's shuttle.
After the Demon Sect unified the world, it issued an announcement informing everyone that an Upper Realm existed above the continent. Four years later, the Demon Sect would open a passage to the Upper Realm, and anyone in the Martial Emperor Realm could ascend then.
Once this news spread, the entire continent seemed to enter a period of explosive cultivation growth. Many outstanding figures suddenly emerged, and many who had been in seclusion came forth. Even some figures previously thought dead surfaced.
At a Yuelai Inn in the Great Qian Dynasty's imperial capital, people came and went, with weapon-bearing patrons entering from time to time to drink.
A man with a long saber on his back entered the inn. He had a saber scar on his face and a vicious expression. Looking at the already packed inn, he walked up to a table of guests and slapped the tabletop. "I'm taking this table. Get out of here!"
The guests seated there did not dare say much and slunk away.
Guests at a few nearby tables muttered, "Those fellows were far too spineless. They left just because he told them to, without even daring to let out a fart."
"What do you know? Do you know who that man is?" a man dressed as a merchant said quietly.
"Who?" Hearing this, the others immediately questioned him.
The merchant hesitated coyly and pointed at the table. One of them caught his meaning. "Just tell us. I'll pay for the drinks at this table, all right?"
The merchant smiled. "Let me tell you, that man is Life-Severing Saber Duan Sanping, ranked third on the Earth Ranking. And I hear he has connections, too."
The others exclaimed in surprise, "What? He's Life-Severing Saber Duan Sanping?"
"Isn't he said to be the Heavenly Silkworm Elder's final disciple? What other connections does he have?"
The merchant smiled and shook his head, pointing south and then upward.
At first, none of them understood. One seemed to think of something. "You mean the Demon-" He did not continue, but everyone understood what he meant, and their gazes toward Duan Sanping filled with wariness.
Two people sat at a table in the corner. Several plates of greens and two bowls of rice were laid out on it, and an old man and a girl were eating silently. The girl had a very innocent appearance. She said to the old man, "Master, can we still avenge Senior Brother?"
"We can. Those fiends of the Demon Sect have committed countless evils. They will surely meet with retribution. You must cultivate diligently too, and reach the Martial Emperor Realm soon. We can go to the Upper Realm and look for another opportunity."
With that, the old man lowered his head and continued eating, but his lowered eyes were filled with despair. The girl still had a chance, but he was already old and only had early Martial Emperor cultivation. He probably would never be able to break through to the Martial Emperor Realm and ascend to the Upper Realm in this lifetime. After hearing the old man's words, however, the girl nodded earnestly.
Just then, a burly man eight feet tall and built like an ox entered the inn, carrying a huge iron hammer and resembling an ancient giant. As he entered, he shouted, "Innkeeper, bring me ten jin of beef!"