Chapter 477
"These women's expressions were completely lifeless, devoid of any will to resist. It was as if their souls had been extinguished, leaving behind nothing but walking corpses," Xiao Tiance thought as he observed the bleak scene before him.
"You Flame Demon Clan dare speak of face in front of the Sacred Clan? I've never heard of such nonsense!"
Xiao Tiance's mocking tone cut through the tense air like a blade. Those around him couldn't help but inwardly exclaim in astonishment.
But when they considered the reality that the Sacred Clan stood unrivaled as the top ranking clan among the Outer World Demons such disdain made perfect sense.
In the realm of the Outer World Demons, strength reigned supreme. The weak had no place to voice their opinions before the strong.
Flame Nine, a mere son of a city lord, didn't dare retaliate. Even the Flame Demon Clan's patriarch, a mid stage Heavenly Demon Emperor, wouldn't necessarily have the courage to oppose someone from the Sacred Clan.
After a brief silence, Flame Nine swallowed his pride and pleaded, "My lord, I misspoke. Please show mercy and spare my life. I'm willing to offer a generous gift as compensation for my offense."
Xiao Tiance sneered, "Generous gift? You think I care for your scraps?"
With a swift kick, he sent Flame Nine flying out of the establishment. As Flame Nine was thrown into the air, Xiao Tiance secretly infused a lethal strand of energy into his body enough to ensure his demise.
"Disgusting fool," Xiao Tiance growled, returning to his seat. "Disturbing my meal ruining my mood. Trash like that deserves worse."
As he sat down, Qin Tian regarded him with an amused expression.
"What is it?" Xiao Tiance asked through a mental transmission.
"Nothing," Qin Tian replied with a chuckle. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were actually from the Outer World Demons."
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly. "Let's just say I've got a short fuse today. Honestly, that guy got off easy. Still, this little stunt might make infiltrating Liyuan Continent easier for us."
Qin Tian nodded. "True. The Sacred Clan's name alone commands unparalleled respect. They stand at the top of the Outer World Demons, unmatched in strength. Even the infamous Heavenly Evil God, sealed away by the Immortal Emperor, hailed from the Sacred Clan.
"And now, the strongest among the Heavenly Demon Emperors, the Sacred Demon Emperor, also belongs to that clan. With your current disguise, no one but the foolish would dare to provoke us."
Xiao Tiance finished his drink and smiled. "Exactly. Now that we've had our fill, it's time to leave. The sooner we reach Liyuan Continent and locate the senior we're here to rescue, the sooner we can finish this mission."
"Agreed," Qin Tian replied.
Leaving some magic crystals a form of Outer World Demon currency on the table, the two of them exited the tavern. None of the other patrons dared to look at them directly, let alone speak.
A Trap Unfolds
As they left the tavern and approached the eastern city gate, Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian exchanged a glance. Both sensed a faint disturbance coming from deeper within the city.
Still, they didn't stop. They stepped onto a nearby teleportation array, and with a flash of light, they vanished.
Moments later, they materialized in a dim and eerie space a pocket dimension created by a skilled expert.
Xiao Tiance glanced around before smirking coldly. "Who's there? Skulking in the shadows, targeting members of the Sacred Clan? Do you have a death wish?"
A sinister laugh echoed in response. From the shadows emerged a middle aged man clad in the attire of the Flame Demon Clan. His aura radiated the power of an upper level Earth Sovereign.
"Impressive bluster, Sacred Clan dogs," the man sneered. "Outside this realm, I wouldn't dare provoke you. But here, in my domain, I can kill you both without leaving a trace."
Xiao Tiance feigned panic, his expression turning "frightened." "You Flame Demons dare to challenge the Sacred Clan? Do you have any idea the disaster you're inviting upon your entire clan?"
The Flame Demon scoffed. "Save your threats. I've ensured that no one will know of your deaths. Normally, I wouldn't dare touch anyone from the Sacred Clan, but you made a grave mistake you harmed my grandson, Flame Nine. Now, I have no choice but to kill you."
His tone was triumphant, as if he had already won.
The Flame Demon's End
Before the Flame Demon could finish his speech, Xiao Tiance took a step forward, releasing a powerful binding force that immobilized his opponent instantly.
"You talk too much," Xiao Tiance said coldly.
In a blur of motion, he appeared in front of the Flame Demon, his hand pressed firmly on the man's head. "Soul Search!"
A surge of overwhelming spiritual energy invaded the Flame Demon's mind, extracting every fragment of memory and knowledge.
Moments later, Xiao Tiance sneered. "So, this was just a personal grudge. I thought we'd been exposed for a moment. How disappointing."
With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the Flame Demon's neck, his spiritual energy obliterating the man's soul. Only when the Demon Extermination Token recorded a successful kill did Xiao Tiance toss the lifeless body into his spatial ring.
As the pocket dimension dissolved, the two returned to the teleportation array.
"Wasn't that a bit risky?" Qin Tian asked via mental transmission, a hint of worry in his tone.
"No," Xiao Tiance replied calmly. "During the soul search, I confirmed he had no idea about our true identities. He was just here for petty revenge."
Qin Tian relaxed slightly but warned, "Be cautious moving forward. Once we reach Liyuan Continent, even a small mistake will alert the enemy, and we'll be surrounded by countless powerhouses."
"Understood. I'll restrain myself," Xiao Tiance promised.
Danger Draws Closer
After exiting the teleportation array in another city, Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian immediately noticed several powerful spiritual senses sweeping over them.
They maintained their composure, pretending not to notice. Only after the scans ceased did they exchange a glance and continue toward the next teleportation point.
"Six early stage Heavenly Demon Emperors scanned us," Qin Tian remarked grimly through a mental transmission. "It's clear that the distress signal we received was a deliberate trap set by the Outer World Demons."
Xiao Tiance's eyes narrowed. "Indeed. They're laying a massive net to catch us all at once."
Xiao Tiance pretended to remain casual, his gaze wandering over the surrounding scenery as he transmitted to Qin Tian:
"No need to worry, Senior Qin. With the bio mimicry spirit array pendants I crafted, as long as we refrain from taking action, not even the Sacred Demon Emperor's divine sense can pierce through our disguises. Regarding those six divine senses just now, I share your assessment. Once we enter Liyuan Continent, there will undoubtedly be more divine senses scanning us."
"Agreed. Proceed with caution," Qin Tian replied with a nod.
As expected, the moment they stepped out of the teleportation array into Liyuan Continent, no fewer than sixteen Heavenly Demon Emperor level divine senses swept over them. Among them was one particularly familiar to both Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian: the Sacred Demon Emperor's.
However, thanks to their bio mimicry spirit array pendants, even the Sacred Demon Emperor's scrutiny couldn't penetrate their disguises.
The two continued walking through the city, feigning nonchalance. They strolled, ate, drank, and even indulged in some frivolous activities, blending in perfectly. Though numerous divine senses scanned them during their time there, none lingered suspiciously. They had successfully infiltrated Liyuan Continent.
Liyuan Continent: Holy City
A day later, they reached the Holy City, the largest city in the Outer World Demons' territory and a place revered as sacred by all the clans.
This city held unparalleled significance, as it had been built by none other than the Heavenly Evil God himself. Along the way, they witnessed countless low ranking Outer World Demons making their way toward the Holy City, kneeling and prostrating themselves every few steps as if on a pilgrimage.
Seeing the reverence and fervor etched into the faces of these demons, Xiao Tiance thought of one word: devotion.
It reminded him of scenes he had witnessed in his previous life, such as devout pilgrims in Tibet bowing their way toward Lhasa. The sincerity and fanaticism were strikingly similar, as if such acts guaranteed divine protection.
Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian exchanged a glance, saying nothing, but their shared solemnity spoke volumes.
The strength of the Outer World Demons lay not only in their individual and collective power but also in their unity of purpose. Despite internal rivalries among clans, their overarching goal remained the same: to invade the Great Thousand World and free the Heavenly Evil God.
Everywhere they went, they overheard conversations about this topic even from young demon children. Upon entering Liyuan Continent, they noticed numerous city squares dedicated to propagating the Heavenly Evil God's "glory." Through storytelling and public speeches, tales of the Evil God's greatness were constantly reinforced.
Both Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian felt a heavy weight pressing on their hearts.
The Heavenly Evil God's Statue
Upon entering the Holy City, the first thing that caught their attention was an enormous statue towering over the square.
The figure was clad in white robes inscribed with patterns of celestial constellations. The robes seemed to ripple with an ethereal energy, giving the statue a surreal, otherworldly aura.
The figure's face was striking handsome and chiseled, yet unnervingly alien. Its eyes were entirely black, devoid of whites, resembling two swirling voids capable of devouring all that they gazed upon.
Most notably, nine additional eyes adorned the figure's body: five on the forehead, one at the heart, one at the navel, and one in the center of each palm.
"So, this is what the Heavenly Evil God looks like?" both Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian murmured to themselves.
Standing before the statue, they couldn't shake the feeling that it was alive. Its overwhelming aura of nobility, majesty, and power seemed to demand submission, compelling all who beheld it to bow in reverence.
Noticing several gazes on them, Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian quickly mimicked the surrounding demons, bowing respectfully to the statue.
As the attention dissipated, the two exchanged a glance and quietly left the square.
A Chance Encounter
Several minutes later, they arrived at a tavern and ordered food and drinks, all the while listening to the conversations around them.
Suddenly, two humans entered the establishment.
Yes, humans.
Both were early stage Immortal Sky Supremes, and their arrival caused no uproar. Instead, the surrounding Outer World Demons rose to their feet, bowing respectfully as they greeted:
"Greetings, Lord Sheng Yuan and Lord Sheng Yin!"
"Hmm. As you were," Sheng Yuan replied casually, waving a hand.
Sheng Yin remained silent, his expression radiating arrogance and superiority.
The two humans, escorted by a demon servant, made their way to the tavern's upper floor.
Watching them leave, Xiao Tiance transmitted to Qin Tian, "Senior Qin, did I see that correctly? Those two are pure blooded humans?"
Qin Tian took a sip of wine, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor as he nodded. "You're not mistaken. Those two are indeed pure blooded human powerhouses.
"Did you notice the badges on their chests? Those signify their status as equals to the Thirty Two Major Demon Clans within the Outer World Demon hierarchy.
"These humans are descendants of the first wave of human powerhouses who surrendered during the Outer World Demons' initial invasion of the Great Thousand World."
Xiao Tiance frowned. "Traitors, then. I suppose not everyone fears death. Some are willing to become dogs for the Outer World Demons."
Qin Tian sighed. "You're not wrong. Not everyone is willing to face death head on. As you've said before, 'it takes all kinds.'
"These humans initially participated in battles against the Great Thousand World, but they were so universally despised that their presence on the battlefield incited attacks from all sides.
"The resulting casualties were so severe that the Thirty Two Demon Clans convened and decided to prohibit these human traitors from participating in frontline battles. Instead, they're now responsible for managing conquered territories and recruiting prisoners of war."
After a moment of silence, Xiao Tiance's expression darkened as he accepted the explanation. Indeed, in every world, there would always be people willing to betray their kind. Such individuals often treated their own far worse than any invader would.
"It's disgusting," Xiao Tiance muttered.
"Tiance, don't dwell on it," Qin Tian said. "Our mission is to locate and rescue that senior. Nothing else matters right now."
Valuable Information
Before Qin Tian could finish speaking, the voice of Sheng Yuan drifted down from the upper floor:
"How long has it been now? No one has come to save that old man yet. I doubt anyone from the Great Thousand World will even bother trying."
"Why rush?" Sheng Yin replied lazily. "The longer they delay, the easier our mission becomes. Once it's done, we'll receive generous rewards."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian's eyes lit up.
"What a stroke of luck," Xiao Tiance transmitted with a smirk. "Senior Qin, it seems we've come to the right place."
Qin Tian chuckled. "Let's tail them when they leave."
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