Chapter 378: Five Layers of Heaven 'Thousand Crickets'

The three great human dynasties celebrated the New Year with joy. Firecrackers popped, fireworks bloomed. The ravages of demon kings were becoming increasingly rare, and people's lives grew more peaceful.

However, deep within a small grotto-heaven beneath the sea, in a hidden secret chamber, Nine Abyss Demon Saint stood. He channeled his demon power to activate the dense network of runes carved into the walls. The runes glowed with silver-white light, and a scene gradually appeared in the central pool of water, revealing the image of Emperor Lord Xinghe.

"Emperor Lord, the situation is getting worse," Nine Abyss Demon Saint said anxiously. "It's only been a little over three months, and that mysterious Godfiend is searching for demon kings everywhere. We can't even discern a pattern to his investigations. In just three months, we've already lost over a hundred thousand demon kings. Although we've tried our best to conceal the news, the demon kings are still panicking. Many of them know each other, so when they discover how many demon kings have fallen in battle, panic naturally spreads.

"We've even heard that the ordinary demon kings are now very resentful. They can't escape, and the human Godfiends are constantly slaughtering them. Since we don't allow them to return to the Demon Realm, a small number of these ordinary demon kings have already begun to defect to human sects. If we continue to pressure them like this, with no other path, even more demon kings might choose to defect to humans," Nine Abyss Demon Saint reported.

"Defecting to humans?" Emperor Lord Xinghe frowned.

"Yes, the humans are quite friendly, even opening grotto-heavens for demon kings to reside freely," Nine Abyss Demon Saint said softly. "Should we allow the demon kings to return to the Demon Realm first, through the various world entrances?"

"Currently, there are fewer than five hundred thousand demon kings left in the Human World," Emperor Lord Xinghe said calmly. "They cannot return. If they do, the news will be impossible to control. Countless demon kings across the entire Demon Realm would learn that a Godfiend is slaughtering demon kings everywhere in the Human World. It would be difficult to mobilize a million demon kings again next time."

Being dispatched to the Human World to hide and fight against humans was something the demon kings could accept. But if they knew it was practically a suicide mission, the demon kings would naturally resist.

"The loss of mere hundreds of thousands of demon kings is a trivial matter," Emperor Lord Xinghe said indifferently. "As long as we can kill that mysterious Godfiend."

"Yes," Nine Abyss Demon Saint obediently replied. "But panic will gradually fester, and more and more demon kings will defect to the Human Realm. What should we do?

"Thousand Crickets has been in the Human World for nearly a year now," Emperor Lord Xinghe asked. "When can it recover to the Fifth Heaven realm?"

"Brother Thousand Crickets has been cultivating diligently. Before reporting to you, I just asked, and it said it would need at least another six months," Nine Abyss Demon Saint replied. "Based on the mysterious Godfiend's speed, it might take a year to clear out all the demon kings. However, with the current panic, the demon kings might completely collapse in just six months. At that point, most demon kings would have defected to humans... it would be difficult to arrange enough 'bait' to lure that mysterious Godfiend to continue his investigations and pursuit."

"Command Thousand Crickets to reach the Fifth Heaven realm within one month," Emperor Lord Xinghe commanded coldly.

"This will harm its physical foundation, and it's already a possession. Damaging its foundation further..." Nine Abyss Demon Saint hesitated. "It will be very difficult for it to become a Demon Saint in the future, possibly even preventing it from recovering to the Demon Saint level. Thousand Crickets will certainly not agree."

"I will send a 'Holy Body Elixir' to it," Emperor Lord Xinghe paused, then added, "The 'Holy Body Heavenly Heart Scroll' will also be delivered along with it."

"Holy Body Elixir? 'Holy Body Heavenly Heart Scroll'?"

"The treasures will arrive today. The Emperor Lord has strictly commanded that you must reach the Fifth Heaven realm within one month," Nine Abyss Demon Saint sighed. "Brother Thousand Crickets, you're at a disadvantage. Forcibly raising yourself to the Fifth Heaven realm in a short time will harm your foundation. But with the Holy Body Elixir, you can at least cultivate a Holy Body, and you can also practice the 'Holy Body Heavenly Heart Scroll' to cultivate the Holy Body and perceive the Heavenly Heart. Perhaps you can even reach the Heavenly Realm faster."

"Easy for you to say," Thousand Crickets Demon Saint said, then turned and left.

"Brother Thousand Crickets..." Nine Abyss Demon Saint began.

"I will certainly break through within a month," Thousand Crickets Demon Saint's voice echoed back. "If I anger the Emperor Lord, Nine Abyss, you'd probably just kill me, wouldn't you?"

Nine Abyss Demon Saint's expression relaxed. Black Robe Beijue materialized beside him.

"I told you it would obediently agree," Black Robe Beijue said softly.

"You pushed this matter so hard; it has caused it much suffering," Nine Abyss Demon Saint said, shaking his head.

"But the Emperor Lord was still merciful, bestowing the Holy Body Elixir and the 'Holy Body Heavenly Heart Scroll'," Black Robe Beijue said calmly.

"If we push Thousand Crickets too hard, it might not work diligently," Nine Abyss Demon Saint said.

For a possessed Demon Saint, raising its cultivation to the Fifth Heaven Demon King realm without concern for damaging its physical body would naturally not be difficult. However, since it's a possession, it should ideally protect this new body carefully and enhance the harmony between its primordial spirit and the physical body. How could they exploit it so recklessly?

Thousand Crickets Demon Saint had no choice. On the very last day of the one-month deadline, it finally broke through to the Fifth Heaven realm.

Thousand Crickets Demon Saint emerged from its secluded meditation chamber, its aura significantly stronger. Outside the chamber stood Nine Abyss Demon Saint, Profound Heavy Demon Saint, Fire Dragon Demon Saint, and Black Robe Beijue—the four of them.

"I have broken through to the Fifth Heaven realm and can now perform the Karma Blood Curse secret art," Thousand Crickets Demon Saint said calmly.

"Thank you, Brother Thousand Crickets," Nine Abyss Demon Saint said with a smile, handing a token to Thousand Crickets Demon Saint. "With this token, you can sense the location of all demon kings. You must return it to me after you're done."

"I will place the Karma Blood Curse on many demon kings," Thousand Crickets Demon Saint nodded. "Once that mysterious Godfiend begins his large-scale slaughter, he will kill some of these demon kings afflicted with the blood curse. My 'blood curse' will then attach itself to his karma! Unless he has reached an extremely high level in the path of karma, he won't be able to detect it. Even if he could detect it... he wouldn't be able to remove the blood curse."

"Karma is profound; even Conferred Godfiends have very little understanding of it," Nine Abyss Demon Saint laughed. "That Godfiend will certainly not detect it."

Thousand Crickets Demon Saint nodded. It was very confident. Typically, one only gradually begins to comprehend karma at the peak of the 'Grotto-Heaven realm'. Moreover, throughout the entire Demon Realm, among all Demon Saints, only Thousand Crickets Demon Saint could perform the 'Karma Blood Curse'. If the target was merely a Conferred Godfiend, it would be almost impossible for them to detect it.

"Brother Thousand Crickets, you've worked hard this time."

"Brother Thousand Crickets, your contribution is immense," Profound Heavy Demon Saint and Fire Dragon Demon Saint also chimed in. Black Robe Beijue, however, looked at Thousand Crickets Demon Saint with a smile. "Thousand Crickets Demon Saint, I believe the Emperor Lord will surely remember your efforts."

Thousand Crickets Demon Saint glanced at Black Robe Beijue but said nothing, turning and walking away.

And so, Thousand Crickets Demon Saint, holding the token, began quietly approaching demon kings across the vast world, placing Karma Blood Curses on them.

"Bind." Thousand Crickets Demon Saint cast a spell, forming hand seals. Using his own primordial spirit and blood essence as the foundation, and demon power as the tool, he performed the 'Karma Blood Curse Seal', quietly infiltrating it into the body of an ordinary demon king within a demon king's lair. Although there were eight demon kings in this particular lair, it only left the Karma Blood Curse on two of them.

In just one day, Thousand Crickets Demon Saint placed the Karma Blood Curse on three thousand demon kings, which was the maximum it could achieve. These three thousand demon kings were scattered across the world, including both oceans and land.

"The task is complete," Thousand Crickets Demon Saint returned to the small grotto-heaven. Facing Nine Abyss Demon Saint, it said calmly and confidently, "The bait has been laid. Now we just wait for the fish to bite."