Chapter 134: The Great Heavenly Demon Sage

Outside the tomb.

The forces of the Great Qian Dynasty and the Black Demon Cult stood in stark opposition, each occupying their own territory.

Whoosh!

A beam of golden light shot out, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

"It's His Highness the Crown Prince!"

As the golden glow became distinct, the eyes of the Great Qian contingent ignited with fervor. Since the Crown Prince had emerged first, had he already secured the Myriad Poison Demon Pearl? Jiang Hongru and the Feather Wraith King both watched with burning intensity.

Yet, a moment later, everyone was struck with shock.

Within the golden light was indeed Jiang Rulong, but he was in an utterly wretched state. Beyond being covered in wounds, his face had been beaten into a swollen, unrecognizable mess, with dark, indelible handprints stamped across it. He was coughing up blood in great gasps, appearing truly miserable.

Pfft!

Jiang Rulong suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsed to the ground, and fell completely unconscious.

"No!"

Jiang Hongru’s expression shifted violently as he moved with lightning speed to shield the prince. The members of the Great Qian Dynasty drew their swords and blades, glaring daggers at the Black Demon Cult. With the Crown Prince gravely injured, they could not afford another disaster.

Swish, swish, swish!

More figures began to flee from the tomb.

"Mingde, what happened here?" Jiang Hongru snatched his son, demanding an answer. Jiang Rulong was the Crown Prince of Great Qian and a peerless genius on the Heaven’s Pride List—how could he have sustained such heavy injuries? What exactly transpired inside the tomb?

Jiang Mingde dared not conceal the truth and recounted everything he knew.

"What? This was a trap set for the Crown Prince?" Jiang Hongru’s expression turned grim. He had been the first to discover this tomb and had been involved in every step of the planning. If Jiang Rulong had truly died in there, his own guilt would be unforgivable. At the thought, a wave of lingering fear washed over him. Though severely wounded, Jiang Rulong had at least kept his life—a stroke of fortune amidst the catastrophe.

On the other side, the Feather Wraith King’s expression was equally dark. He, too, had learned the truth from his subordinates.

"Mo Fenglie is dead?" The Feather Wraith King’s eyes widened in disbelief. Their plan had been flawless; how could it have failed? Moreover, Mo Fenglie, in whom he had placed such high hopes, was dead—slain by Jiang Rulong.

But compared to Mo Fenglie’s death, the subsequent news was even more shocking.

"Master Yeming? He was actually able to control the Bronze Throne? How is that possible!" The Feather Wraith King had never held any affection for Jun Wushuang and had intended to capture and interrogate him once the tomb was sealed. He never imagined that this "Master Yeming" would be the one to have the last laugh. That Bronze Throne could not be controlled without specific, secret methods. Who exactly was this person?

The plan had failed completely. Not only had they failed to kill Jiang Rulong, but Mo Fenglie was dead, and both the Bronze Throne and the corpse of the Nether Poison Emperor had fallen into someone else’s hands. The Feather Wraith King’s complexion turned ghastly, his eyes burning with a rage that seemed capable of incinerating the heavens.

Whoosh!

The Feather Wraith King and Jiang Hongru looked up simultaneously, their eyes locking as they caught the fury and murderous intent in each other.

The Great Qian Dynasty had suffered heavy losses, and Jiang Rulong had nearly been killed, fueling Jiang Hongru’s explosive rage. But the Black Demon Cult had also suffered deeply; with Mo Fenglie dead and the plan in ruins, they had no way to answer to the Heavenly Demon Great Sage.

"Kill!"

Without further words, both men attacked.

Boom!

As Ninth-Level Heaven King Realm experts, their collision in anger triggered a cataclysmic battle. The soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty and the remaining disciples of the Black Demon Cult soon clashed as well. Only Jiang Mingde and Bei Mingye moved to escort the unconscious Jiang Rulong away from the fray.

The battle was world-shaking, ultimately leaving both Jiang Hongru and the Feather Wraith King mutually wounded. The Black Demon Cult, outnumbered, could not withstand the Great Qian army and were forced to retreat.

"Seal the site! By my order, no one is to approach!"

Although the tomb had collapsed, the mysterious figure in black and the corpse of the Nether Poison Emperor remained inside. Jiang Hongru, preoccupied with the safety of his son, had no choice but to depart, ordering his army to blockade Jiangning City to guard against the Feather Wraith King’s return.

In the end, both sides withdrew, leaving only an army to guard the perimeter.

Meanwhile, deep within the underground city, although the tomb had completely collapsed, Jun Wushuang had utilized the Yin-Nether Corpse-Raising Array to protect the stone hall at the center. He knew his identity was sensitive; once he stepped out, he would become a target for both the Great Qian Dynasty and the Black Demon Cult.

He had no intention of leaving just yet. Furthermore, there was one more thing he had to do.

Inside the stone hall, Jun Wushuang sat upon the Bronze Throne. The corpse of the Nether Poison Emperor stood before him, expressionless like a puppet. Yet, Jun Wushuang fixed a sharp gaze upon the corpse.

"Heavenly Demon Great Sage, you have watched the show for long enough. It is time to show yourself!"

Jun Wushuang’s voice echoed through the hall, but the Nether Poison Emperor remained motionless.

"The Nether Poison Emperor possessed the Myriad Poison Demon Physique. You took him as a disciple precisely because you coveted his unique constitution. You taught him poison arts and cast him out of the Black Demon Cult to cultivate his hatred, forcing him to grow stronger so that his demon physique would reach its peak. Finally, you killed him yourself and left his body here to be nourished for three hundred years. Everything was orchestrated to turn him into your external avatar. Am I right, Heavenly Demon Great Sage?"

Jun Wushuang stared intently at the Nether Poison Emperor, speaking as if addressing the Great Sage himself. The corpse remained a hollow shell, as if Jun Wushuang were playing a lute to a cow.

"It seems you are determined not to appear. If so, I shall force you out."

Jun Wushuang sneered and reached out. A black-and-white grinding wheel materialized, spinning to crush the spirit.

"Junior, how did you know I was here?"

Finally, the Nether Poison Emperor spoke, his vacant eyes turning chillingly cold.

Three hundred years ago, when the Heavenly Demon Great Sage hid the corpse here, he had left behind a sliver of his consciousness. No one else knew of this, and the mark was buried so deep that it should have been impossible to detect. The Great Sage had never imagined that his secret would be discovered by Jun Wushuang, and so clearly, as if the youth had been watching the whole time.

"I have taken a fancy to this poisonous corpse, so I would ask you to step aside!" Jun Wushuang grinned, his tone brooking no argument. Possessing the Purple Extreme Demon Eyes, he had spotted the mental mark at a glance. By piecing together the clues and the nature of the Nether Poison Emperor’s physique, he had deduced the truth. But that didn't matter—all he wanted was the corpse.

"Junior, you are too arrogant. Since you know I am here, you still dare to act so insolently?"

"Jiang Rulong has escaped, so let your blood be the nourishment for my poisonous corpse avatar!"

The Heavenly Demon Great Sage flew into a rage and launched an attack. In an instant, Jun Wushuang was plunged into a desperate struggle for survival.