Now, however, he had suffered a calamity: his soul was wounded, his flesh had decayed, and he was already a flower past its bloom. The Azure Flood Dragon King, meanwhile, had forged ahead against the current, gaining a saintly sage's small world and an ancient saintly sage's weapon.
Such were the turns of time and fate! How could he not sigh with emotion?
The Azure Flood Dragon King nodded slightly, a smile in his eyes, and promised him, "Fellow Daoist, there is no need to worry. The one in the Ageless Hall has now emerged from seclusion. I have also sent people to help find a suitable candidate."
The black-clad elder was touched. He heaved a long sigh and bowed deeply to the Azure Flood Dragon King.
In the Southern Region, he had visited the residences of other demon kings to seek help, but their replies had mostly been perfunctory. They would hardly speak to him as an equal, much less bring out rare treasures to heal him.
The Azure Flood Dragon King hurriedly helped him up and offered another round of comforting words.
The other Demon Clan leaders also spoke up. "Fellow Daoist, you are a direct descendant of the Demon Emperor. Why take such a posture? The day will come when you transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly."
"In those days, Your Excellency was like the sun at high noon, fighting throughout the Southern Ridge with the Demon Emperor's Nine Slashes. Now you are on the verge of breaking out of your cocoon. Why sigh?"
"That's right. Lord Azure Flood Dragon King now possesses a supreme Great Saint Weapon. Even those Extreme Dao holy lands wouldn't dare look down on us..."
Most of the Demon Clan members who had followed the Green Lotus lineage here had ulterior motives, chiefly hoping to win the Azure Flood Dragon King's favor. Seeing him honor the worthy and treat the Azure Emperor Lineage so kindly, they all began flattering this nineteenth-generation descendant of the Demon Emperor.
The Azure Flood Dragon King watched the scene with great interest. Turning to the Peacock King, he explained, "Weren't you curious about the origins of this Chaos Saint Sword, worthy brother?"
Rumors outside claimed that he had recovered an ancient weapon left behind by the Azure Emperor, one ranked among Saint Weapons, but the great demons naturally knew the truth.
The Peacock King sat calmly in his jade chair. He took a sip of clear tea and smiled. "Fourth Brother, why not just tell us? Since when did you learn to keep people in suspense?"
"Dao Brother, which power has emerged into the light of day again? Ordinary holy lands couldn't produce a Great Saint Weapon."
The black-robed elder was equally curious, hoping to attach himself to the great mountain behind the Azure Flood Dragon King...
The gathering was harmonious, but a man in black battle robes seated high above was somewhat melancholy and worried. News that had come from the Jade Lake Sacred Land some time ago had spread among the major Extreme Dao powers. The Jiang Family had sent someone to summon him back and had also told him the news.
The Primordial Myriad Races will emerge in a few decades? What are they after? Why did they seek out the Azure Flood Dragon King? And why did they bring out a complete Great Saint Weapon? Jiang Yi pondered silently without speaking. After all, he was human. If the ancient races were outsiders, the Human Clan was likewise an outsider to the Demon Clan. What difference was there?
Looking down over the gathered demons, the Azure Flood Dragon King was full of ambition. Though enslaved, he retained all his former memories and had ambitions of his own. He naturally understood what a peerless Great Saint Weapon meant, and rebuilding the Demon Court now filled him with heroic spirit.
He drank a cup of immortal wine and said to everyone, his eyes bright, "Have you heard of the Divine Spirit Lineage of the Primordial Era?"
The news puzzled the Demon Clan members present. Even the Peacock King frowned, while the black-robed elder looked thoughtful.
"They called themselves divine spirits?"
"The Primordial Era was millions of years ago. Even the Great Emperor families of the Eastern Wasteland have existed for only a few hundred thousand years. Beings from millions of years ago couldn't possibly have survived!"
"Lord Azure Flood Dragon King, please just tell us!"
Everyone spoke at once. Looking at the Demon Clan members present, Jiang Yi suddenly revealed a secret. "If a supreme existence refined Divine Source Liquid, it would be enough to seal living beings within it. Those inside Divine Source could disregard the passage of time."
This was a secret known only to Extreme Dao families, for only a supreme existence could refine Divine Source Liquid to seal ancient cultivators.
The Demon Emperor Lineage, on the other hand, had long since fallen into ruin. Aside from a copy of the Azure Emperor Scripture, its sole Immortal Platform cultivator was the Green Lotus King, whose flesh was in decline. Even its Dragon Transformation Secret Realm elders numbered only a few. It was utterly weakened; without the Green Lotus King to support it, even the Emperor Scripture would likely have been snatched away by those demon kings.
Moreover, the Azure Emperor Lineage had no hidden reserves preserved in Divine Source. Its plight was bleak, and secrets involving supreme beings had long since been lost to it.
The moment the secret of Divine Source Liquid was revealed, many aged members of the Demon Clan widened their eyes and looked at the Azure Flood Dragon King with burning gazes. They had little lifespan left and were keenly interested in a way to extend it.
Even the Demon Emperor's nineteenth-generation descendant's expression shifted slightly, but he thought no more of it. Divine Source Liquid was far too precious, and the Azure Flood Dragon King could not possibly possess such a divine substance.
The Azure Flood Dragon King nodded slightly. "That's right. A supreme Ancestor King of the Undying Heavenly Emperor Lineage, the divine spirits of the Primordial Era, has emerged. The Chaos Saint Weapon in my possession was bestowed by the Divine Spirit Lineage."
Those words instantly caused a great stir in the palace.
"The Undying Heavenly Emperor? An Ancient Great Emperor like the Azure Emperor? How awe-inspiring!" An old flood dragon in the Dragon Transformation Realm, with white hair and beard and a withered body, nodded gently.
"That's right. I once read an account of this in an ancient book. It's said that long ago, Great Emperors were called something different..."
"The Demon Emperor Hall still exists. In the Primordial Era they were called Emperors, and in Desolate Antiquity they were called Great Emperors."
"So that's how it is..."
Jiang Yi's divine sense stirred, and his expression grew somewhat complicated. He paid no attention to the titles, focusing instead on the Ancestor King. "Azure Flood Dragon King, you're saying an Ancestor King of the Undying Heavenly Emperor Lineage has emerged?"
"Indeed. Primordial Ancestral Kings are the ancestors of their races, all existences at the level of ancient saints," the Azure Flood Dragon King replied airily. Everyone present felt their blood surge, shocked by the news!
In this Age of Dharma's End, even a Half-Saint could make an Extreme Dao holy land yield. An ancient saint was simply inconceivable, an existence already relegated to legend.
According to ancient texts, saintly sages of old could create small worlds, and a single strand of their hair could slay a Great Power. Their power could be said to reach the heavens.
"A demon saint has emerged!" the Peacock King murmured, clearly yearning for it as well.
He did not understand what the Primordial Myriad Races meant. Yet despite eight hundred years in seclusion, he was at a loss when it came to Severing the Dao at Immortal Three. His cultivation had remained at the Immortal Platform Second Heaven for over a thousand years without advancing an inch.
If he could listen to a saintly sage expound the Dao and receive guidance, he would be willing to give everything...
Chapter 51: A Fair Lady, on the Far Side of the Water
"Dong!"
Suddenly, an ethereal, boundless sound of the Dao came from the horizon. Wondrous lotus-shaped Dao rhythms emerged from the white clouds, and streams of auspicious radiance illuminated heaven and earth.
Crimson light burst forth to the heavens, dyeing the sky a brilliant, dazzling blood red. Countless mysterious runes flickered ceaselessly in the void. A vast surge of blood Qi shot out of the Ageless Hall, transforming into the enormous illusory image of an Undying Immortal Phoenix.
The Peacock King heard the boundless sound of the Dao inside the great hall. It was as though he had gained a slight understanding, even gaining some insight into the barrier at Immortal Three. He took one step and instantly appeared outside the hall, gazing at the blood-red sky.
And there was the fluctuation of origin power from the Ageless Hall that made his bloodline tremble. He stared unblinkingly at the Immortal Phoenix's image, as though witnessing a miracle.
Could this be a true immortal spirit?
"Does the opportunity for me to break through the gates of Immortal Three lie with him?"
The Peacock King was torn between hope and fear. His once-surging divine power slowly began to fade, leaving him looking like an ordinary young nobleman. This ancient demon had been trapped at the barrier of Immortal Three for far too long. For over a thousand years, Severing the Dao had been like an impassable chasm, and how many thousand-year spans did a life have? In the end, time waited for no one...
"Boom!"
The Ageless Hall opened wide, and a slender figure walked out. The phenomenon in the sky began to fade, and the rosy clouds returned to their plain white.
Su Yu walked down from the clouds one step at a time. His Qi was restrained, and the divine power and blood Qi that had once spilled out were hidden within his body. A halo of five-colored divine light shone behind him. His long black hair was bound with a golden ribbon, and his face was more beautiful than a woman's. His eyes were like bright, clear gems, seeming to hold a galaxy within them.
Clouds in the Azure Sky, Water in the Vase quietly gathered in a haze. The cloud dragon and demon vase vanished from sight, leaving flecks of immortal light.
At this moment, Su Yu's hair cascaded loose, and he was like an immortal spirit graceful as a startled swan. His eyes held not a ripple as he stood calmly in the void, one with the dragon veins of heaven and earth, extraordinary amid the stillness.
"Your Highness!"
The Azure Flood Dragon King rode a Divine Rainbow into the sky and followed close behind Su Yu with utmost respect. He transmitted the identities of those people to Su Yu through divine sense.
Su Yu glanced at the people below and noticed that the youthful-looking Immortal Platform cultivator was the Peacock King.
The two landed in front of the palace, and the Azure Flood Dragon King solemnly introduced him to the Great Powers and Demon Clan elders. "This is the divine spirit's offspring, His Highness the Heavenly Emperor's Son."
Drawn by Su Yu's Immortal Phoenix origin, the Demon Clan members present all felt somewhat unsettled. The pressure was especially intense for the avian demons.
Su Yu walked up to the Peacock King and gave a slight bow, paying respect to his character. The Peacock King was quite charismatic; in the original work, a roar from him shattered mountains and rivers, and stars shone across the heavens, a sight that stirred admiration. His combat strength was also formidable.
"Peacock King!"
The youthful-looking Peacock King gazed at Su Yu in something of a daze. A pressure emanating from the other man suppressed him at the deepest level of his bloodline, like the fear a weak life felt before a higher one, or the dread a mortal felt before a divine spirit.
But he was, after all, a Great Power of the Demon Clan. A wash of starlight passed over him, and he regained his composure, looking intently at Su Yu.
A true phoenix? The Peacock King's heart stirred. Bringing his sleeves together, he bowed deeply. "Greetings, Your Highness!"
The others present also paid their respects, while all the Demon Clan members below the Immortal Platform Realm knelt prostrate.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
"There is no need for such formalities, everyone. Please!" Su Yu's manner was gentle without lacking dignity. A faint trace of Extreme Dao Qi wreathed him. All the Great Powers present felt somewhat constrained, and the other Demon Clan members were also deeply respectful, not daring to offend him.
Jiang Yi, the Peacock King, and the Green Lotus King had all seen Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons and recognized that Qi. Moreover, Su Yu's Qi was complete and flawless, and his divine sense was powerful. He had clearly entered the Immortal Platform Secret Realm.
The Demon Emperor's nineteenth-generation descendant was the most enthusiastic of them all. Especially after that trace of Extreme Dao Qi appeared, his attitude grew exceptionally friendly, and his previously hesitant heart became resolute.
He personally descended the steps and, with a light sweep of his sleeve, offered to lead Su Yu inside. "Your Highness, please!"
Su Yu returned his smile and nodded to the black-robed elder, quite satisfied. This old demon had broadened his path.
Attended by the Azure Flood Dragon King and the Green Lotus King, he entered the palace and, quite naturally, took the seat of honor, looking down over everyone...
Not far away, two streams flowed together into another river. Lush grass lined the banks, and beautiful plants bloomed in profusion.
Above the gurgling water stood a pavilion in the air, where a golden-haired youth stood.
His Qi surged, and brilliant divine light shone from his deep eyes. He seemed to see through the obstructing clouds to Su Yu's true appearance. After Su Yu and the others entered the palace, he looked again at the illusory Immortal Phoenix in the sky.
"Is that Lord Azure Flood Dragon King's honored guest? My instincts tell me he's strong. He makes the blood in my body tremble, eager for a great battle."
The Azure-Clad Little Flood Dragon King beside him glanced at him but said nothing more. Su Yu had ordered him to treat him as an ancient prince of the ancient races.
As for the present Golden-Winged Little Peng King, a genius at only around the Four Bans, Su Yu truly did not think him worth notice.
The flawless woman in the pavilion was as fresh as snow piled on a flowering tree. Her jade-like figure was graceful, her skin translucent, and her beauty peerless. She was none other than the Demon Clan princess, Yan Ruyu.
Yan Ruyu watched the Ageless Hall from afar. She saw a man like a divine being walk out of it, his appearance incomparably beautiful.
Then she recalled what the Green Lotus King had told her, and her expression grew more complicated. Her beautiful eyes slowly closed. She seemed somewhat resistant to her own fate, but then she remembered the Green Lotus King's request...
If a divine phoenix were courting her, she would be willing to accept for the sake of the Green Lotus lineage, but...
A white-clad member of the Demon Clan beside the Golden-Winged Little Peng King smiled and began praising the Little Peng King. "Although that lord is powerful, you needn't be modest, Little Peng King. You have won the admiration of the Peacock King and the White Elephant King. Your future is boundless."
After all, he was the Old Peng King's own grandson and held an exalted position in the Demon Clan.
"On this trip to the Northern Region, I wanted to see its young geniuses for myself. I heard the Yaoguang Holy Son has been in seclusion lately, but there's also the Ji Family's God King Body. He's in the Holy City now, which isn't bad either. The blood of a divine body is truly something to look forward to!"
The Golden-Winged Little Peng King's eyes shone brilliantly, and he carried an innate, overbearing air.
Among the younger generation of the Demon Clan, he stood head and shoulders above the rest and had never suffered defeat. Only one person could tug at his heartstrings.
He had originally been going to undertake a trial in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wasteland, but after hearing that Yan Ruyu had gone to the Northern Region, he abandoned it. Full of youthful spirit, he told the Old Peng King that he would fight the holy sons of the various holy lands and let those members of the Human Clan experience the might of the Heavenly Peng Clan!
The Old Peng King, who had a fierce temperament, admired him greatly and ultimately agreed to his request.
Now, this Demon Clan noble gazed fervently at Yan Ruyu. Sadly, the beauty remained lost in sorrow and treated him very coldly.
The Little Peng King did not mind. After all, Yan Ruyu had already rejected marriage proposals from the offspring of many demon kings.
He disdained following Yan Ruyu around at every step. It was enough to make his feelings known; after that, everything depended on the Great Wilderness Halberd in his hand. Once he defeated all the kings and became invincible, everything would go as he wished...
Chapter 52: Undercurrents in the Other Lineage, a Forced Marriage
Southern Region of the Eastern Wasteland, Yaoguang Holy Land.