A thousand years ago, a great war broke out on the Cangwu Continent, known as the War of the Gods. After that single war, the entire continent was devastated. All Martial Gods vanished, and with them, all Martial God-level cultivation arts.
Afterward, no Martial God ever emerged on the Cangwu Continent again. Only four Martial God-level cultivation arts survived: the Demon Sect's Heavenly Demon Scripture, Golden Mountain Temple's Ten Thousand Buddhas Scripture, the Great Yu Dynasty's King Yu Scripture, and the Demon King's Ten Thousand Demons Book.
Cultivation arts were divided into Human Grade, King Grade, Emperor Grade, and Divine Grade. Each grade had three tiers: low, middle, and high.
"Ding! System mission issued: in six months, defeat the Demon Emperor head-on on the shores of the East Sea and wipe out the beast tide. Success rewards: a high-tier Profound Understanding mountain-protecting formation and twenty thousand Villain Points."
Zhou Qiong picked out a few key phrases: six months, the shores of the East Sea, beast tide, high-tier Profound Understanding. This meant a beast tide would break out on the shores of the East Sea in six months. As for high-tier Profound Understanding, it was probably something a grade above Divine Grade.
"System, open the shop."
The shop had unlocked after he completed his first sect-extermination mission. A thousand Villain Points could not improve his Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, possibly because its grade was too high. Raising the Heaven-Devouring Demon Art to the second level required a hundred thousand Villain Points. He might as well exchange his Villain Points for cultivation arts for his subordinates to practice.
A panel appeared before Zhou Qiong, displaying several categories: cultivation arts, divine weapons, pills, and miscellaneous items. Zhou Qiong went straight into the cultivation arts section. Everything there was blurry and unreadable, probably because he lacked enough Villain Points. By the time he reached something he could buy for a thousand points, he had no idea how many pages he had flipped through.
"Host, you can jump directly to the relevant page."
The corner of Zhou Qiong's mouth twitched. "It's fine. I just like flipping pages."
"Any recommendations?"
"The Demon Emperor Art is very suitable for cultivation. It also has integrative properties and can be modified to a certain extent based on one's own cultivation art."
"The Ten Thousand Demons Art has formidable offensive power. Its practitioners possess strength far beyond others at the same level."
"The Ghost King Art allows very rapid cultivation, but its offensive power is poor."
"System, exchange for the Demon Emperor Art." In the end, Zhou Qiong chose this cultivation art because he already possessed the Demon Soldier Art and Demon King Art. They formed a systematic set of cultivation arts, with the Demon God Art above them. They offered great adaptability and room for development.
"Exchange successful. Five hundred Villain Points spent. Five hundred Villain Points remaining."
A week later, in the Heavenly Demon Hall, Zhou Qiong reclined on the demon dragon throne. Liansheng stood beside him, his imposing presence soaring straight into the clouds. He had clearly broken through to the Martial Emperor Realm. Below them stood the Demon Sect's senior figures. Many cast occasional glances at Liansheng.
When news of Liansheng's breakthrough to the Martial Emperor Realm reached the Demon Sect, even its own members could hardly believe it. It had been less than two years since Liansheng reached the peak of the Martial Emperor level. How could he have broken through to the Martial Emperor Realm so quickly? Yet the truth stood right before their eyes.
There were fewer than ten known Martial Emperor Realm cultivators on the entire continent, and now their Demon Sect had two. If they counted the sect master's demon dragon mount, however, that made three Martial Emperors.
"I have recently sensed that the beast tide is approaching. You must redouble your cultivation. We will have a battle to fight soon."
"Heh heh, Sect Master, we should have attacked long ago. Those demon brats in the East Sea have never taken our Demon Sect seriously."
The Demon Tiger King slapped his head and chuckled. He was a warmonger and one of Zhou Qiong's trusted followers. Indeed, all Twelve Demon Kings were Zhou Qiong's trusted followers, each personally promoted by him.
"What do you know? The Demon Race has vast numbers. How can we attack just because you say so?" Beside him, the second elder of the Elders' Council pointed at the Demon Tiger King's nose and shouted.
"I think you've grown old. Don't tell anyone you belong to our Demon Sect when you go out. We can't afford that humiliation." The Demon Monkey King pointed at the second elder as well.
"You're the ones who consider nothing. You don't think at all."
"Are you saying the sect master doesn't think?"
"Of course not! I'm talking about you!"
The elders and Demon Kings argued with gusto, coming just short of exchanging blows.
"Sect Master, if we go to war with the Demon Emperor, I, Chen Shu, volunteer to lead the vanguard," a man dressed as a scholar declared to Zhou Qiong above. He was the Demon Rat King, leader of the Twelve Demon Kings.
"Sect Master, I, Huzi, volunteer to lead the vanguard."
"Sect Master, I, Houzi, volunteer to lead the vanguard."
"Sect Master-"
The Twelve Demon Kings volunteered one after another.
"Good. In six months, on the shores of the East Sea, I appoint you as the vanguard."
Seeing that Zhou Qiong had made up his mind, the Elders' Council below said nothing further. Since Liansheng's breakthrough two days earlier, together with the appearance of the demon dragon flying carriage, Zhou Qiong's prestige throughout the Demon Sect had become unrivaled. Many who had previously supported the Elders' Council had now shifted toward the younger faction of the Twelve Demon Kings. Even hearts within the Elders' Council had begun to waver.
Zhou Qiong held this lot from the Elders' Council in deep contempt. Leaving aside whether they harbored disloyal intentions, they had already lost their spirit. As notorious demons on the continent, they were forever saying they should think three times before acting. Wasn't that sick? Did they think they belonged to some righteous, reputable sect? Shouldn't demons act as they pleased?
"These are the Demon Soldier Art and Demon King Art. Have the Demon Sect's members practice them and raise their cultivation as quickly as possible. From now on, these two will be compulsory cultivation arts for our Demon Sect."
No one below was particularly surprised. Though both arts were of decent grades, people at their level no longer thought much of them. They were indeed important to those beneath them, however.
Then Zhou Qiong tossed out another cultivation art from his seat. "This is the Demon Emperor Art. It is for you to cultivate."
"What? An Emperor Grade cultivation art?"
Everyone below was astonished. The entire Demon Sect possessed only three Emperor Grade cultivation arts, and many of them practiced only peak King Grade arts. In other sects, only candidates for sect master could cultivate Emperor Grade arts. That showed how scarce Emperor Grade cultivation arts were; they were essentially each faction's closely guarded secrets.
The grand elder took the Demon Emperor Art and glanced at it. "What? A high-tier Emperor Grade cultivation art?" His own cultivation art was only middle-tier Emperor Grade, yet the sect master had casually produced one even higher than that.
"I am giving you this Demon Emperor Art to cultivate free of charge. All senior members may practice it, as recognition of your past contributions to the Demon Sect. But if you want something higher, you will need to exchange further contributions for it."
What? Hearing that there were even higher cultivation arts, everyone found it hard to believe. This Demon Emperor Art was already high-tier Emperor Grade. Wouldn't anything higher be a Divine Grade cultivation art? The sect master actually possessed a Divine Grade cultivation art? Could it be the Heavenly Demon Scripture? Impossible. Only successive sect masters could cultivate the Heavenly Demon Scripture. Then the sect master possessed other Divine Grade cultivation arts.
The grand elder gave Zhou Qiong a grave look. Ever since Zhou Qiong emerged from seclusion, he had noticed tremendous changes in him. First, his cultivation had clearly advanced, and he might well have broken through to the middle Martial Emperor level. He had even acquired a Martial Emperor-level demon dragon to pull his carriage. Now he had produced an Emperor Grade cultivation art and might possess Divine Grade cultivation arts as well.
Even Liansheng's breakthrough was very likely connected to Zhou Qiong.