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At Xu Jiamaâs warning, Wang Lin quickly fell silent. He knew heâd spoken too freely. No matter what, the Heavenly Dao was not something a minor demon like him could casually discuss.
âWhatâs there to be afraid of? Just say whatâs on your mind,â Xu Zimo said.
âItâs fine,â Wang Lin replied, then asked, âJudging by your tone, Brother Xu, what is your ambition?â
âMe?â Xu Zimo smiled. âI want to see the Ancient Demon Race rise again and walk once more towards the peak of the Nine Heavens. I just donât know how many of our kind still have the will to do so.â
âAnd how would we rise?â Wang Lin asked. âDonât be fooled by the fact that we rule the Godfiend Abyss Heaven, itâs nothing but a cage. If we tried to defy the world, weâd be crushed the moment we stepped beyond its borders.â
He glanced around and lowered his voice. âBesides, Heaven isnât our only enemy. There are others, like the Heavenly Court. Theyâve always been at odds with us.â
âYou seem well-informed,â Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.
âI read about it in the Academy. There are books about these things,â Wang Lin explained.
âDo other Ancient Demons know about this too?â Xu Zimo asked.
âMore or less,â Wang Lin said. Xu Jiama nodded as well. âEveryone still dreams of the glorious age of our race.â
The Ancient Demon Race might have declined, but it hadnât vanished. Everyone knew that few Ancient Demons were allowed to ascend to sainthood, and those who did never lived long. The reason was never stated outright, but all understood. There are divine eyes watching from above.
The Heavenly Dao feared them.
It feared the return of that ancient age.
Hearing this, Xu Zimo felt somewhat reassured. The Ancient Demons hadnât gone pletely cold-blooded, and that was enough. Weakness wasnât the problem; they could bee strong again. He himself had once risen from weakness, leading the Ancient Demon Race to greatness. What mattered was whether their blood still ran hot.
âUnless the Infernal Lord returns, itâs better not to dream about it,â Xu Jiama sighed. âIâve heard that Ancestor Hellfire Asura is content with the status quo and doesnât wish to provoke anyone. The Heavenly Courtâs pressure has grown stronger these years, they may be preparing to act.â
âI thought Heaven no longer targeted the Ancient Demon Race,â Xu Zimo asked curiously. âThen why is the Heavenly Court pressuring you?â
âWho knows? We used to live in peace,â Wang Lin said, shaking his head. âBut lately, itâs like they canât wait any longer, they want to wipe us out.â
Xu Zimo thought for a moment and understood.
Before, Heaven and the Heavenly Court had time to slowly suffocate the Ancient Demons, boiling the frog in warm water. But now that he had returned, the Infernal Lord reborn, they must have grown anxious.
While they were talking, a loud laugh suddenly rang out nearby.
âWang Lin! Finally found you lot, do you know how long weâve been searching?â
Even without looking, Wang Lin recognized the voice.
âHong Ze,â he muttered coldly. âYou really are like a lingering ghost.â
âWhatâs wrong? Didnât find the inheritance?â Hong Ze said mockingly.
âWhatâs it to you?â Wang Lin shot back.
âDo you know how I found you?â Hong Ze sneered. âI sprinkled Tracking Powder on you. Within a hundred miles, I can sense your presence. Now, if you kneel and beg forgiveness, I might let you live. Otherwise, this Ancient Demon Road will be your grave.â
âYou think weâre afraid of you? If you want a fight, e on!â Wang Lin snapped.
âWeâll see how long that bravado lasts,â Hong Ze growled, his demonic aura flaring. The four followers behind him stepped back as he raised his hands.
âBlackflame Qilin!â he roared.
Dark energy surged from his palms, condensing into the massive form of a black qilin. Its roar echoed through the Ancient Demon Road, shaking the air. Even the surrounding Ancient Demons shrank away in terror, not daring to approach.
âItâs a Demonic Armament,â Wang Lin said grimly. âThat shameless bastard, heâs using his fatherâs weapon against us.â
âDemonic Armaments are personal weapons; theyâre not supposed to be lent out,â Xu Jiama added. âIf heâs using it, his father must have allowed it.â
âWhat do we do?â
âWhat else? Run!â Wang Lin barked, turning and sprinting down the path without hesitation.
With a demonic armament in play, fighting was suicide.
Xu Zimo blinked, surprised by how quickly Wang Lin had lost his nerve. A moment ago, heâd been full of righteous fury; now, he was gone in a flash.
The others, realizing the danger, began to flee as well. After all, the seven days were nearly up, if they survived a little longer, theyâd be pulled out automatically.
Only Xu Zimo remained standing still.
âBrother Xu! Run!â Wang Lin shouted, glancing back. True to his word, he turned around to drag Xu Zimo along.
âMy Blackflame Qilin is here, where can you possibly run?â Hong Ze bellowed.
His voice boomed like thunder, his aura surging upward. Above him, dark clouds gathered and twisted, and from within them emerged the form of a gigantic beast.
The qilin stepped forth from the demonic clouds, its scales black and molten like flowing magma. Each breath it exhaled came as a blast of white-hot vapor. Its crimson eyes glowed with murderous intent.
âWeâre doomed,â Xu Jiama said weakly, collapsing to the ground in despair.
âWhatâs a Demonic Armament, anyway?â Xu Zimo asked calmly.
âBrother Xu, nowâs not the time for that!â Wang Lin shouted in frustration.
âNo matter what, if Iâm going to die, Iâd rather die knowing,â Xu Zimo said with a smile.
âYouâll know soon enough,â Hong Ze sneered. âLet me enlighten you before you die. A Demonic Armament is a beast raised from birth with a demonâs own blood essence. Once bonded, it bees part of us, no matter its rank, once it drinks demon blood, it bees a true demonic beast. Its power is immense, unique among the Seventy-Two Million Mountains!â
âOh. I thought itâd be something special,â Xu Zimo said, shaking his head in disappointment.
Such beast-binding techniques were crude, and damaging to oneâs own life force. True power never relied on external tools.
The Blackflame Qilin descended, shaking the entire Ancient Demon Road. A torrent of black fire spewed from its mouth.
âItâs over, weâre dead,â Xu Jiama whispered, closing his eyes in despair.
But the searing pain never came.
The world had gone eerily quiet.
He opened his eyes in confusion, and saw Xu Zimo standing before him.
âBâBrother Xu?â Xu Jiama stammered.
âDonât rush to die,â Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.
He glanced at the Blackflame Qilin, then raised his hand.
Infernal energy burst from his palm, coalescing into a long, glowing line.
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