Chapter 47: Chapter 44: Sixty Years Later
Time moved languidly.
In the blink of an eye, sixty years had passed.
Deep in the Endless Desert of the Extreme West, there sat an ancient and eerie mysterious ruin.
“This is the place,”
“According to Master Zhang’s description, this should be the location of the Primitive Demon Gate Ruins from years ago.”
“Hurry and notify Master Zhang.”
Dozens of martial artists who had explored this far all felt a surge of excitement.
The burly leader quickly gave the order and then stood guard in front of the ruins.
“It is said that this ruin shifts its location in concert with the earth’s ley lines, relocating periodically which is why it remained undiscovered for such a long time,”
added a slightly darker-skinned man next to the burly leader in a low voice.
Half a day later,
there appeared, in front of the ruins and of unknown arrival, a young man clad in a Daoist robe.
“Master Zhang,”
said the burly leader, immediately walking over and respectfully speaking.
“We have seen Master Zhang,” continued the others, each performing the customary rites of respect.
Everyone felt an immense pressure involuntarily surge within them upon facing this Daoist, who appeared utterly unremarkable.
That was because this Master Zhang was undoubtedly the most lethal amongst all the Heavenly Masters of the Celestial Master Mansion throughout the generations.
In the past, it was indeed customary for Heavenly Masters of the Celestial Master Mansion to descend the mountain and purge demons.
However, at most they would carry out such purgings for a few years; yet, this Master Zhang had been purging demons for a full sixty years.
By this time, numerous once-arrogant demons had now become but legends, with the most taboo words in the world being “Demonic Tao.”
All because of Master Zhang.
Master Zhang alone had killed so many demons that no one dared call themselves a demon lord under his watch.
Someone internally calculated that, during these sixty years, the demon lords who died at Master Zhang’s hands numbered not in the millions, then certainly in the hundreds of thousands.
“This is the place,”
Lin Yuan carefully examined the ruins, confirming them to indeed be the site of the ancient Primordial Demon Gate.
The Primordial Demon Gate, as a power capable of contending with the First Generation Celestial Master 6,800 years ago, could be described as the source of all demons under the heaven.
For Lin Yuan to truly eradicate all the demons in the world, he definitely couldn’t bypass this ruin.
However, the location of the Primitive Demon Gate Ruins wasn’t fixed — it was constantly changing.
Therefore, directly under the authority of the Celestial Master, Lin Yuan mobilized martial artists from across the world and finally pinpointed the ruin’s location today.
“I’m going in now,”
“You all leave quickly,” Lin Yuan glanced at the burly leader and the others, then spoke.
“Yes,”
quickly responded the burly leader.
“Master Zhang, this place is very dangerous, you must be careful,” the burly man hesitated for a moment before speaking.
He greatly admired Master Zhang. During Lin Yuan’s sixty years of demon purging, although the world could not be considered entirely without strife, it had certainly become much more peaceful.
The burly leader’s grandfather often told him how sixty years ago, demons were rampant, frequently capturing humans to feed on their blood for demonic cultivation.
“I am aware,”
nodded Lin Yuan and then proceeded straight into the ruins.
Outside the ruins, the crowd quickly started discussing.
“That is Master Zhang? He looks very young,”
“Young? Sixty years ago, Master Zhang was already twenty years old; now, he must be eighty,”
“Heavenly Masters are not like us mortals can imagine. I heard that all the past Heavenly Masters lived over two hundred years.”
The crowd whispered among themselves, for these years had seen Master Zhang becoming nearly ‘mythical.’ Compared to other Heavenly Masters of previous generations, Master Zhang had purged demons for the longest time, hence his fame was even deeper, so much so that even the Emperor of Great Yu had to show respect to Master Zhang.
In these years, what was it that allowed Master Zhang, under the title of Heavenly Master, to command the heroes of the world? Was it because they were simply obedient? It was nothing other than unbeatable strength.
Although Master Zhang always only slew demon lords, how these demon lords were defined depended solely on Master Zhang himself.
Even if you practiced righteous arts and never harmed a soul, if Master Zhang deemed you a demon lord, then you were a demon lord, and thus could be killed.
“Alright,”
“Let’s leave,”
“Since Master Zhang has asked us to leave, he surely has his reasons,”
“Even though the Primordial Demon Gate has fallen, its ruins should not be underestimated. Master Zhang might not fear it, but we are not Master Zhang,” sternly said the burly leader.
The others, hearing this, immediately shuddered.
They quickly followed the burly leader, leaving the area.
Inside the Primitive Demon Gate Ruins,
Lin Yuan strolled leisurely.
An invisible Taiji energy field, centered around him, covered an area of a hundred meters.
Within the hundred meters, everything was as clear as viewing the lines on one’s palm.
Sixty years ago, upon becoming a Heavenly Master, Lin Yuan was already unmatched under the heavens, surpassing all previous Heavenly Masters.
Now, after another sixty years, even Lin Yuan himself was somewhat unsure of the level he had reached.
Throughout these sixty years, although Lin Yuan had been purging demons, with his Against-Heaven’s Understanding, whether in seclusion or in demon-purging, he was always mindful of Enlightenment, constantly cultivating.
Before becoming a Heavenly Master, the reason Lin Yuan hid on Dragon Tiger Mountain was twofold: firstly, his strength was not yet unrivaled under the heavens, presenting certain risks should he leave the mountain.
Secondly, he had yet to fully comprehend the True Martial Dao Zang of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
After becoming a Celestial Master, even if he did not exorcize demons, Lin Yuan would not remain on Dragon Tiger Mountain; instead, he would travel around the world, comprehending the universe.
The interior of the ruins was dark and eerie.
But Lin Yuan seemed unaffected as he walked directly to the deepest part of the ruins.
Before long,
Lin Yuan saw a huge altar.
The altar was black and red in color, with faint traces of blood remaining on its surface.
“Heh, heh, heh.”
Just as Lin Yuan looked towards the altar, a deep and robust voice rang out.
Countless blood auras surfaced on the altar, condensing into a blood-colored figure.
“So many years have passed, and the True Martial lineage has finally given birth to another Celestial Master.”
The blood-colored figure gazed at Lin Yuan and lightly chuckled.
“Who are you?”
Lin Yuan asked.
“Who am I?”
“You can call me the Primeval Demon Spirit.”
The tone of the blood-colored figure heightened, slightly maniacal as he spoke.
“Primeval Demon Spirit?”
Lin Yuan pondered for a moment and asked, “You are not from this realm?”
Back when he acquired the True Martial Sword, Lin Yuan had speculated that it originated from another world.
Because the Power of Taiyin and Taiyang within the True Martial Sword, even the current Lin Yuan could not harness it, let alone Celestial Masters from past generations.
And the Celestial Master is the pinnacle of this world; if a Celestial Master could not do it, it meant no creature in this world could.
Only so-called other worlds or perhaps even the ‘Upper Realm’ might be possible.
Now, encountering the Primeval Demon Spirit in front of him, Lin Yuan was even more certain of his speculation.
The way the Primeval Demon Spirit had appeared already surpassed the mundane, and his tone suggested he might have existed as long as six thousand eight hundred years ago.
“Hahaha.”
“This generation’s Celestial Master is somewhat perceptive, recognizing the origins of this demonic spirit….”
After observing Lin Yuan, the blood-colored figure spoke, “But since you’ve come here, the person chosen by this demonic spirit likely died by your hand.”
A hundred years ago, the Sect Leader of Wan Mo Men accidentally entered the ruins.
Under the covert guidance of the Primeval Demon Spirit, he obtained part of the heritage of the Primordial Demon Gate.
With it, he stirred up blood and chaos in the world.
It was not an isolated incident: every few hundred years over the past six thousand eight hundred years, scenes of chaos initiated by the Demonic Tao occurred, most of which were instigated by the Primeval Demon Spirit.
“So, tell me, seeking this demonic spirit, what do you intend to do?”
The blood-colored figure stood in the center of the altar, asking with interest.
He had been lonely for too long; the last time he saw a living person was a hundred years ago.
“I plan on trying to destroy you.”
Lin Yuan did not disguise his intentions.
He led the heroes of the world to search for the Primitive Demon Gate Ruins to put an end to this source of all demons once and for all.
Without the Primitive Demon Gate Ruins, there might still be many demon lords in the next few hundred or few thousand years, but at least they could not cause a major disaster.
“Hahahaha.”
“You want to destroy me?”
“How arrogant!”
“More than twenty Celestial Masters have found this place before you.”
“That includes the first Celestial Master of this world, why do you think I still exist now?”
The blood-colored figure paused briefly, then suddenly burst out laughing.
“Taiyin.”
“Taiyang.”
Lin Yuan remained silent, but his mind stirred, invoking the powers of Taiyin and Taiyang from the environment, suppressing them towards the altar.
Boom boom boom!
The black and white turned into a Yin Yang Great Grinding Disc, which sought to crush the altar, causing the entire ruins to tremble faintly.
Under the crush of the Yin Yang Great Grinding Disc, the blood-colored figure suddenly retreated a few steps, its vibrant red figure dimming slightly.
“Simultaneously controlling the Power of Taiyin and Taiyang, just with these methods, you surpass all the Celestial Masters of the True Martial lineage in this world, including the first-born Celestial Master who received the True Martial heritage.”
“But with just these, you still cannot destroy me.”
The tone of the blood-colored figure returned to calm, as a large amount of blood aura emerged from the altar again, continually replenishing his energy.
“Condense.”
Lin Yuan cycled the Taiyin and Taiyang within him and extended his right hand, slowly pressing down.
After sixty years of cultivation and enlightenment, Lin Yuan’s understanding of Taiyin and Taiyang had far surpassed that of sixty years ago; the power of Taiyin and Taiyang he invoked was now vast and formidable.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!
The Yin Yang Great Grinding Disc expanded tenfold, the Power of Taiyin and Taiyang transforming endlessly, like an immense ocean rippling and undulating.
“Useless, I am indestructible…”
The expression of the Primeval Demon Spirit slightly changed, but he still remained defiant.
But just after a few breaths had passed,
“Stop, stop, stop.”
“Let’s talk properly.”
“There’s no need for violence.”