Chapter 939 - Purging Demons (Seventeen)
Li Qingshan had once asked the Great Banyan Tree King, “What kind of a place is the Demon domain exactly?”
The Great Banyan Tree King said, “The Demon domain is just a general name. It includes countless worlds, connected by demon caverns, which form a tremendous body. If the demonfolk successfully invade the nine provinces, then it will become a new Demon domain, and all living creatures will become ‘demonfolk’. Demonfolk spread the ideology of the demonic path, blaspheming immortals and buddhas and defiling morality. They spread through the trichiliocosm like a plague.”
Li Qingshan then asked, “If the Demon domain is so powerful, how do the nine provinces stand a chance?”
“A world has a world’s laws. The strongest that can enter the nine provinces are only Demon Kings that have undergone the third heavenly tribulation. Existences stronger than that cannot reside here. After all, no matter how powerful an individual is, they still can’t contend against an entire world.”
“Why would they need stronger existences? They only need to send enough Demon Kings, and wouldn’t they win with ease?”
“I don’t know the exact details either. It’s said that the Demon domain’s status across the trichiliocosm is similar to that of demonic cultivators in the nine provinces. They’re relatively powerful, but they don’t have the upper hand. They face constant oppression and persecution from the ‘righteous path’. It’s just a corner of the battlefield here.”
Li Qingshan came to a realisation. It was just like how a large-scale war would definitely include countless group and individual clashes. Neither side would send an entire army to kill a single soldier, as it would not be worth it at all. It might even cost them the overall battle.
Back then, he had still been feeling rather melancholic. It involved the rise and decline of countless races, the slaughter and sacrifice of countless powerful cultivators, but as it turned out, this was only a corner of the battlefield. It was that insignificant!
However, he dismissed these laments very quickly and became even more certain about his objective. There would be one day when he ventured beyond the Nine Heavens and transcended all significance.
But right now, he faced a difficult choice. If he entered the Demon domain, Qiongqi’s power would be well beyond what he could withstand. He would completely become a sitting duck, with no chance to fight back or put up a struggle. The feeling of being at the whim of others was simply horrible. Even if he managed to preserve his life, the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression and the Phoenix’s Scripture of Nirvā?a would probably both be crippled. He would completely sink into the demonic path.
It sure was ironic now that he thought of it. The Divine Nun of the South Sea had gone as far as to sacrifice her life to lead Xiao An down the righteous path, while Qiongqi went as far as to use a few Demon Kings as bait to set up this trap, just so he could join the demonic path.
Did the path that they walked really matter that much?
Of course, it did. Only after so many years did he finally think it through. It really did matter a lot!
“What’s wrong, Li Qingshan? Have you changed your mind? If you think you can buy time, I’d advise you to give up on that thought. I’m going to count down from three. If you don’t enter the demon cavern, we’ll kill you immediately. Three!”
The Bone-eating Shaman King was dignified and solemn, possessing quite an authoritative bearing. He treated Li Qingshan like a servant. Actually, he did not want Li Qingshan to enter the Demon domain and pledge himself to Qiongqi either, so he intentionally tried to anger him. As long as he put up even the slightest resistance, then it would be perfectly justifiable for him to taste his flesh.
“Alright, I’ll go to the Demon domain. However, Qiongqi wants me. It’s got nothing to do with her…”
“Two!” The Bone Eating Shaman King squinted his eyes slightly and completely ignored that.
“Yeah, since he doesn’t want her, leave her to us!” “We’ll take good care of her!” “He can’t even protect his own woman. How pitiful!” The Demon Kings sneered and scoffed.
Li Qingshan frowned and radiated with solemn murderousness.
The Demon Kings all stopped talking. They all felt like Li Qingshan would lunge towards them in the next moment, so they assumed a defensive posture instinctively. Only when they returned to their senses did they realise that Li Qingshan had done nothing at all, which surprised them. This kid’s malice is so heavy that it’s completely on par with the Martial Chief King’s. But given the current situation, we’re not afraid that you’ll fight back. We’re afraid you won’t fight back! The sneers and insults became even more fearless as a result.
Gong Yuan suddenly felt rather pained. It was not because of the danger she was in, but because she did not want to see him being insulted and humiliated by others. She silently gripped his hand. “Go. I’ll be around to collect your corpse!”
“One!” The Bone Eating Shaman King widened his eyes, which shone brilliantly.
Li Qingshan nodded towards Gong Yuan and launched himself towards the demon cavern. He shot past the Demon Kings with a flash, which made him seem eager. It was as if he was actually afraid the Demon Kings would strike the moment the Bone Eating Shaman King finished counting.
The Bone Eating Shaman King felt some pity too. His lips curled into a sneer as he gloated inside, What King of Savages? This is all that he’s capable of!
As a result, he waved his hand, and the Demon Kings glanced at one another before following close behind him and diving into the demon cavern.
Li Qingshan only felt like he had set foot in a dark, gloomy tunnel, unable to see anything even when he opened his eyes as widely as possible. Even his consciousness distorted with the twists in the tunnel. The nine provinces were cast far behind him, and the Demon domain drew closer and closer!
At this moment, he smiled and suddenly came to a halt. He turned around and threw a punch!
“Tremors of the Ox Demon!”
With a rumble, the darkness shattered, and the cracks spread. Between the fractures was even deeper darkness!
The Bone Eating Shaman King who flew at the front was unable to react in time. A crack swept past his waist, almost bisecting him. Agony filled his body as he roared furiously, “Li Qingshan!”
“Idiots. I’m not accustomed to serving as someone’s dog!”
The other Demon Kings all halted in a hurry, also suffering some minor injuries. They were surprised, furious, and delighted inside. Sure enough, he still tried to resist!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Li Qingshan swung both fists, and the black cracks knitted together like spider webs. Only when he shattered the space around him did he sigh a breath of relief.
The Demon Kings backed far away, afraid to approach him. They could not withstand the spatial cracks no matter how tough their bodies were. The cracks constantly wove together, forming a black curtain. Li Qingshan and Gong Yuan’s figures vanished behind the curtain.
The Meditative Brain King said, “Bone Eating King, what did great god Qiongqi say when something like this happened?”
“Kill him!”
“How?”
The Demon Kings looked at one another. The shattered space blocked everything. Even their voices, vision, and soul sense could not pass through it, let alone launching an attack.
The Bone Eating Shaman King said furiously, “We’ll stay right here and see just how long they can last for. The space will recover naturally, and that’ll be the time of their deaths!”
The surroundings were completely dark. It was like drifting around on a lone island, except around them was not ripping sea water, but shattered space, a true chasm!
Li Qingshan tightened his grasp around Gong Yuan and avoided a tiny, black crack. He grinned. “Heh, how’s that? They’re dreaming if they think they can force me into the Demon domain!”
“What do we do now?”
Gong Yuan looked around. The shattered space was both a shelter and a prison to them. They were still in dire straits. It could even be described as even more despairing than before. Since they had already turned against one another, the Bone Eating Shaman King would never give them another opportunity to join the Demon domain.
Li Qingshan sank into his thoughts. “Erm… I’m thinking.”