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...
"Do you know that the girl named Wang Lici is one of my clan members?" Wang Shouzhe responded to his pledge of loyalty with indifference, a hint of coldness appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Moreover, her bloodline aptitude is top-notch, no weaker than yours. If anything were to happen to her..."
"What?"
Sima Wuyou's face turned pale, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, and a deep fear arose in his heart.
Previously, he had remained calm because he was certain that the Immortal Sovereign would fear the Holy Clan behind him and dare not kill him.
But now the situation was different. If this Holy Son decided to kill him under the pretense of avenging his clan member, even if the Ancestor behind him learned the truth, he could only swallow his grievances.
He hurriedly defended himself, "Holy, Holy Son, I'm innocent, truly innocent. That simple, no, Miss Lici started by attacking the space tunnel..."
"Enough, I told you I'm not the Holy Son, just call me Young Master." Wang Shouzhe interrupted impatiently, "Tell me exactly what happened then, without the slightest concealment."
"Yes, yes, Young Master Shouzhe."Sima Wuyou wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, no longer daring to argue, and recounted the events in detail.
To shirk responsibility, he was extremely meticulous in his narration.
Wang Shouzhe half-closed his eyes, as if simulating the situation in his mind.
After a moment, he exhaled deeply, "That space tunnel leads to the Domain of Destruction, and it's near the New Luo Immortal Dynasty? In that case, it shouldn't be a big problem. Lici has plenty of protective items on her, including a 'Holy Emperor's Protection,' which can withstand a True Immortal for a moment in a critical situation."
Holy Emperor's Protection?
Sima Wuyou breathed a sigh of relief, a look of envy appearing on his face.
From Young Master Shouzhe's description, it was clear that this was a consumable item on par with the 'Mystic Water Holy Shield' crafted by their Ancestor. That item stored a trace of the Ancestor's holy spirit energy, which could be released as a shield to withstand a True Immortal for a moment.
However, crafting the Mystic Water Holy Shield was extremely difficult and consumed the Ancestor greatly, so it was considered top-tier strategic material within the clan, rarely bestowed. In any case, Sima Wuyou had not yet qualified to obtain such a treasure.
Thinking of this, Sima Wuyou couldn't help but marvel again at the profound heritage of Young Master Shouzhe's family. Even Miss Lici, who wasn't of the top bloodline, was equipped with such a treasure, not to mention her Crescent Blade, which seemed to be a semi-immortal artifact.
Unconsciously, Sima Wuyou painted a picture in his mind of a mysterious, powerful, and wealthy top-tier family.
"However, even so, I need to find Lici as soon as possible to ensure her safety." Wang Shouzhe said, looking at Sima Wuyou with a cold expression, "Take out your 'Space Transfer Array Disk' and let me see it."
"Yes, Young Master Shouzhe."
Sima Wuyou hurriedly took out the array disk and handed it to Wang Shouzhe, though his expression was somewhat troubled, "But Young Master, this Space Transfer Array Disk was slightly damaged during a space storm and can no longer be activated."
Wang Shouzhe took the array disk and examined it closely, indeed finding a barely visible crack on the ancient disk.
He frowned, "Can you repair it?"
"Uh... I can't." Sima Wuyou said awkwardly, "My skills in formations, talismans, and artifact refining are just at the entry level."
"..." Wang Shouzhe gave him a deep look, then calmly put away the Space Transfer Array Disk, "I'll find someone to repair it, hopefully soon."
Sima Wuyou's eyelids twitched, and he couldn't help but reach out helplessly, "Young Master Shouzhe... that array disk..."
"What use is it to you?" Wang Shouzhe glanced at him, his voice a bit cold, "Can you repair it?"
"Yes, yes, I'll trouble you with this, Young Master Shouzhe." Sima Wuyou forced a smile and quickly changed the subject, "Young Master Shouzhe, while searching for space nodes, I discovered something strange. I found some ancient space fragments, and it seems there was a fixed space teleportation array at those nodes, but it was destroyed by someone. Could it be the work of the Mystic Spirit Saintess back then?"
"Oh?" Wang Shouzhe's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but frown slightly, "You mentioned the Mystic Spirit Saintess before, why haven't I heard of her?"
"Young Master, you may not know, but she was an ancient figure from a hundred thousand years ago, and her information was later sealed by the elders." Sima Wuyou explained, "Unless someone deliberately researches that period of history, they wouldn't know about the Mystic Spirit Saintess."
"How much do you know about the Mystic Spirit Saintess?" Wang Shouzhe sipped his tea, asking casually.
"Due to the lack of information, I don't know much about the Mystic Spirit Saintess either." Sima Wuyou was naturally forthcoming, "According to the records, it's known that this Saintess had extraordinary aptitude, inheriting the treasure in the Purple Mansion Realm, the Immortal Scripture in the Divine Realm, and in the Lingxu Realm, she outshone many competitors to inherit the Primordial Water Sacred Diagram. After reaching the True Immortal Realm, she competed with other Holy Sons and Saintesses for the position of Dao Child in the Primordial Dao Palace, and she had a good chance. But later, she mysteriously disappeared while pursuing a thief, missing the Dao Child competition. I suspect she came to this small world back then and, for some reason, couldn't return, ultimately falling here."
"I see." Wang Shouzhe frowned for a long time, and seeing that Sima Wuyou had nothing more to add, he waved his hand, "I'm a bit tired. Mu Yun, see him out."
"See him out?" Sima Wuyou looked bewildered, "Where to?"
Immortal Emperor Mu Yun sneered, "Of course, back to the cell. Or do you expect a tour?"
"I don't want to go back to the cell, I don't want to go back." Sima Wuyou tried to struggle, looking pitifully at Wang Shouzhe, "Young Master Shouzhe, I can run errands for you, do whatever you ask, just don't send me back to the cell..."
However, before he could finish, Immortal Emperor Mu Yun had already grabbed him by the collar and teleported him away.
After they left.
Wang Shouzhe's brow not only didn't relax but furrowed even more.
This matter was truly beyond his expectations. Based on the information provided by Sima Wuyou, he was now almost certain that his wife, Liu Ruolan, was the reincarnation of that so-called 'Mystic Spirit Saintess.'
However, who was the thief she was chasing back then?
Could it be one of the Top Ten Wanted Criminals? Why did she stay in the Shenwu World? And why did she ultimately fall, having to transform into a Dao embryo?
Moreover, there seemed to be some issues with the Primordial Dao Palace. A Saintess suddenly disappeared, and instead of searching extensively, they sealed the information after a cursory investigation... Could it be that the trouble was caused by the competition for the Dao Child position?
Now, Ruolan's background was becoming clearer, but the situation seemed to have become more complicated.
The future would require extra caution.
For a moment, Wang Shouzhe's brow was deeply furrowed, his thoughts drifting far away.
...
Around the same time.
At the border area of the Western Jin, Southern Qin, and Yinsha Sect, near the edge of the Western Sea, a massive shipyard stood quietly in the sunset.
From a distance, the arched roof of the shipyard looked like a series of rising mountains, very majestic.
Inside the shipyard, there was a huge long trench, the bottom of which was reinforced with special materials, and the other end extended to the edge of the Western Sea.
At the bottom of the trench, three behemoths, resembling fierce beasts from the wilderness, were quietly docked.
These three behemoths were, of course, the Kunwu Giant Ships under construction.
The bottom and sides of these giant ships were covered with large frames, fixing the entire ship in place.
After years of crafting, the Kunwu Giant Ships now had a rough outline, with a massive keel, towering decks, and bases for mounting giant cannons at the front of the deck... all clearly discernible, already showing a bit of the imposing power of the Kunwu Giant Ships.
At this moment, a group of trial equipment makers were busily flying up and down the frames, shuttling back and forth to transport parts of the giant ships, installing and testing them one by one, like ants moving house, gradually filling in the blanks on the ships.
Under the enormous shape of the Kunwu Giant Ships, these trial equipment makers looked particularly small, truly like busy worker ants.
While the trial equipment makers were busy, at the edge of the shipyard, an old and a young figure were walking slowly, inspecting the situation inside the shipyard.
Among them, the older one had graying hair, with a cold and serious demeanor.
The younger one wore a red robe, only reaching the elder's chest in height, with delicate and lovely features, looking like a seven or eight-year-old child.
However, between the two, it was the child-like one walking in front, while the older one followed respectfully behind the "child," looking extremely strange.
These two were, of course, the Blood Child Demon Lord and the elder sent by the Yinsha Sect to assist him, Yin Futu.
"After years of relentless effort by the trial equipment makers, the main framework of the Kunwu Giant Ship is basically complete. Once the instruments ordered from the Demon Dynasty arrive and are installed, after a few rounds of testing, it can be prepared for a water test." Yin Futu reported the progress of the Kunwu Giant Ship's construction respectfully, with a hint of pride in his tone.
You should know, originally these Kunwu Giant Ships were planned to be completed and launched within thirty years.
Now, this speed is much faster than the original plan. This is the result of his diligent supervision.
"Too slow."
The Blood Child Demon Lord's delicate face showed no hint of joy, instead, he frowned slightly, looking serious.
Yin Futu's expression froze.
He glanced at the Blood Child Demon Lord, speaking cautiously, "Demon Lord, is there something I haven't done well? I..."
"It has nothing to do with you."
The Blood Child Demon Lord shook his head, his expression still serious.
If it were according to the previous plan, he would naturally be satisfied with this crafting speed. But now the situation has changed, the True Demon Hall's momentum has plummeted, the Eastern Gan's national strength is also thriving, even capturing a Demon King Fortress in the outer regions and launching some 'Outer Region Great Development' initiative.
Although he found the idea of developing the outer regions somewhat absurd, he couldn't deny that the national strength of Eastern Gan was indeed growing stronger, and at a terrifying speed.
The Western Jin's Emperor Yan Qing also gathered some information, saying that Eastern Gan was planning some nationwide Qi Refining, aiming to turn Eastern Gan into a nation where even peddlers and pawns were Qi Refining Realm cultivators, like the Immortal Dynasty, and it seemed they had already started implementing the plan.
This gradually cast a shadow over his previously optimistic mindset.
At this rate, by the time the Kunwu Giant Ships are fully built, Eastern Gan might have grown to a formidable level, and by then, it's uncertain if the Kunwu Giant Ships can still deal with Eastern Gan.
The more information he gathered, the heavier the sense of crisis in the Blood Child Demon Lord's heart, now reaching a point where it was making him restless.
He always felt that with the current situation, acting rashly might lead to repeating past mistakes.
It seems he needs to come up with some other plans.
...
While the Blood Child Demon Lord was anxious.
Demon Sovereign Chao Qianchuo was also in a rare low point in his demonic life.
This time, not only did his meticulously planned grand scheme fail completely, but it also dealt a huge blow to his and the Chao Clan's reputation. Now, within the Demon Dynasty, there were various criticisms of the Demon Sovereign, Little Demon Sovereign, and the Chao Clan.
Especially the Red Abyss Demon Emperor, that old fellow, who was vigorously supporting storytellers, spreading the heroic deeds of Crown Prince Shentu Jingming in various mixed venues, making the failures of the Little Demon Sovereign and Demon Sovereign seem particularly laughable.
Due to this series of changes, the Red Abyss Demon Emperor and the Demon Sovereign had an early change of defense, with the Red Abyss Demon Emperor personally overseeing the outer region battlefield, while the Demon Sovereign temporarily returned to the True Demon Hall to heal.
True Demon Hall.
Demon Abyss.
As one of the ten forbidden areas of the True Demon Hall, only the Demon Sovereign and a few Lingxu Realm Demon Lords of the True Demon Hall were qualified to enter.
Under the Demon Abyss, the dense Nether Fiend Demon Qi lingered all year round.
Looking down from above, the gray-black Nether Fiend Demon Qi gathered and did not disperse, like a hazy mist, giving birth to a sense of ethereal charm.
The highly concentrated Nether Fiend Demon Qi condensed into droplets, forming a deep, bottomless pool of dark Nether Water over the years.
In this Nether Water Pool, many aquatic species from the Demon Realm were raised, forming an independent ecological chain.
Especially a type of fish called 'Nether Dragon Eel,' which was extremely fierce and could grow to thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds. Its flesh was delicate and tender, containing a large amount of Nether essence, causing ordinary people to die instantly if consumed, but for demonic cultivators practicing Nether Fiend Demon Qi, it was a great tonic.
At this moment.
On a jagged rock in the Demon Abyss, a "middle-aged man" with a cold and dignified demeanor was sitting cross-legged, fishing.
He wore a simple black outfit, through which the muscular lines on his arms were clearly visible, making him appear heroic and majestic, like a mountain.
Even though he was simply sitting, he seemed to merge with the heavens, earth, and the Demon Abyss, naturally inspiring awe.
This man was the current Demon Sovereign Chao Qianchuo, the strongest in the current Demon Dynasty.
Compared to his previous high spirits, he seemed to have aged and become more haggard during this time, with a deeper sense of vicissitudes between his brows.
It was unclear how long he had been fishing alone, as a thin layer of dust had settled on the rock he sat on, yet his clothes remained as clean as if freshly changed.
This was also one of the basic abilities of True Immortal Realm and True Demon Realm powerhouses.
At this level, their bodies, having undergone multiple refinements, were vastly different from ordinary human bodies, surrounded by surging immortal spirit energy or true demon qi. Unless fatally injured or at the end of their lifespan, the bodies of True Immortal Realm and True Demon Realm powerhouses were impervious to wind and frost, unstained by dust.
Only changes in mindset could leave traces of wind and frost and decadence on their brows.
A few yellow leaves fluttered down from above the Nether Water Pool, carried away by a wisp of fiendish wind, adding a touch of desolation to the Demon Sovereign's silhouette.
Suddenly.
A spatial ripple appeared in the sky.
A woman with a gentle temperament, exuding a surging Lingxu Realm pressure, stepped out from it.
She wore a light mauve long dress, her brows and eyes gentle, her temperament warm, and her entire being exuded a comforting aura.
She descended gracefully from mid-air, landing lightly on the rock behind the Demon Sovereign, then bowed to the seated Demon Sovereign, reporting in a low voice, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the matter you instructed me to investigate has yielded some results. The Saintess Wang Ruobing from the Yinsha Sect has recently experienced a significant increase in both cultivation and aptitude, displaying strength far surpassing that of an ordinary Peerless Prodigy, with strong suspicions of having devoured the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed. How to handle this, I await your decision."
This woman, needless to say, was Elder Yun.
For many years, she had always followed the Demon Sovereign, loyal and devoted to Chao Qianchuo. Similarly, she was deeply trusted by the Demon Sovereign, handling many critical matters.
"Qingyun~" The Demon Sovereign Chao Qianchuo spoke slowly after a moment, "How long have you been following me?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency." Elder Yun replied softly, "I have been following you for two thousand seven hundred and ninety-six years and five months."
"Yes, in the blink of an eye, it's been almost three thousand years." The Demon Sovereign opened his eyes, his deep gaze falling into the deep pool ahead, his voice slightly hoarse, "For these three thousand years, you have served me, witnessing my various setbacks and glories, but never have I fallen as hard as this time."
"Now, even those little demon brats, Tian Xie and Lin Yuan, dare to come out and challenge me, it's truly laughable, lamentable, and pitiful. Do you think it's because I've really grown old?"
"Your Excellency." Elder Yun was alarmed, quickly comforting him in a gentle voice, "You are not old at all. The Tian Xie Demon Lord and Lin Yuan Demon Lord are nothing but clowns in your eyes, their personal disciples are also mediocre, what qualifications do they have to contend for the True Demon Scripture? The urgent task is to help Little Prince Chao Qianjue regain his composure, rebuild his reputation, and restore everyone's confidence in him."
"Chao Qianjue!"
Hearing this name, a cold smile appeared on the Demon Sovereign's lips, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes, "Over the years, I've invested so much in him, supporting him step by step to the peak, yet I never expected him to be so unable to withstand the storm, losing his spirit and will after a little setback, it's truly disappointing."
"Your Excellency, Little Prince Chao Qianjue he..." Elder Yun wanted to defend Chao Qianjue, but was interrupted by the Demon Sovereign, "Don't speak for him anymore, in the next few days, go and find Chao Qianxue for me."
"Young Master Chao Qianxue?" Elder Yun's expression froze, quickly saying, "But Young Master Chao Qianxue he..."
"My mind is made up." The Demon Sovereign raised his hand, "That boy Chao Qianxue may seem arrogant on the surface, but he has depth in his heart, hiding it well. Let him deal with those small fry and target the Yinsha Sect Saintess Wang Ruobing."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Elder Yun hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "But Wang Ruobing has obtained the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed, her bloodline level has likely skyrocketed, Young Master Chao Qianxue might find it difficult to handle, should I..."
"No. Matters of the younger generation should be resolved by the younger generation themselves." The Demon Sovereign sneered, "Moreover, how could Wang Ruobing's background be simple? This is clearly a grand scheme set by that old Red Abyss, a scheme to deal with me. Wang Ruobing is merely a pawn in Red Abyss's hand. If we disregard our status and bully the weak, wouldn't we be falling right into Red Abyss's trap?"
"Red Abyss, oh Red Abyss, I didn't expect you to hide so deeply. But unfortunately, you underestimated the hidden heritage of our Chao Clan, underestimated my abilities."
"Your Excellency is wise." Elder Yun's face lit up with joy, then hesitated slightly, "Your Excellency, I have one more thing to report. The Blood Child Demon Lord left a clone in the True Demon Hall, hoping to meet with Your Excellency."
"That boy Blood Child has extraordinary talent, even I envy him, but his temperament is somewhat lacking in stability." The Demon Sovereign's eyes flashed, his expression half-smiling, "His request to see me this time must be related to Eastern Gan and the Changning Wang's Clan in Eastern Gan."
"Changning Wang's Clan in Eastern Gan?" Elder Yun's expression turned cold, "Is it the Wang Clan that repeatedly thwarted our plans? The one belonging to the so-called 'First Prodigal of the Human Race,' Wang Fugui?"
"Though the Changning Wang's Clan in Eastern Gan is nominally just a fourth-grade family, their strength should not be underestimated, they hide deeply and have great ambitions." The Demon Sovereign pondered, "In this outer region war, the so-called 'First Prodigal of the Human Race,' Wang Fugui, was involved in all matters before and after the battle. This child, who can be so valued by Immortal Emperor Mu Yun and that old Red Abyss, is probably not simple."
"Then what does Your Excellency intend to do?" Elder Yun asked cautiously.
"Naturally, we must eliminate the Changning Wang's Clan before they fully spread their wings." The Demon Sovereign's eyes flashed with a deep and fierce light, "Call the Blood Child to see me."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Elder Yun took her leave.
Soon, her figure disappeared above the Nether Water Pool.
On the jagged rock, only the Demon Sovereign remained, eyes half-closed, continuing to fish.
The breeze stirred, the pool water shimmered.
The Nether Water Pool returned to its original tranquility, as if nothing had happened, but a storm targeting the Wang Clan had already begun.
...
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