Chapter 521: Years (End of this episode)

On an isolated island in the North Sea, the black-robed Demon Saint Beijue stood side by side with a gold-armored envoy. They gazed at a black mirror suspended before them, which simultaneously displayed events occurring in five different regions.

The events in these five regions were remarkably similar.

Outside various world membrane portals, a 'Primordial Spirit Avatar of Meng Chuan' stood hovering in the air, each surrounded by a group of fallen and unconscious demon monarchs.

"What?" The gold-armored envoy's heart turned cold.

"How could this happen?" Even the usually calm black-robed Beijue was momentarily stunned.

The demon race had planned for years, and this operation was executed flawlessly. One hundred and ninety-three demon monarchs simultaneously invaded from five different locations along the edges of the human world's four sea regions. Logically, the chance of human interception succeeding should have been extremely low. Yet, the reality was stark: all the demon monarchs were captured alive in a single sweep by a human God-Demon.

"Meng Chuan," the black-robed Beijue muttered, staring at the shadowy figure present in all five scenes. "At least five avatars?"

Suddenly, all five of Meng Chuan's Primordial Spirit Avatars simultaneously turned their heads, gazing remotely, all looking directly at the black mirror.

"This isn't good."

Both the black-robed Beijue and the gold-armored envoy's expressions shifted slightly.

They then looked up to see a shadowy Primordial Spirit Avatar of Meng Chuan already standing before them on the isolated island.

"He's here," the black-robed Beijue and the gold-armored envoy realized, a sense of dread washing over them.

"Demon Saint Beijue, adept at avatars and clones," Meng Chuan remarked, his gaze sweeping over them. "And a puppet with merely an Emperor's thought attached. What a wasted trip."

No sooner had he spoken than...

...the black-robed Beijue's avatar and the gold-armored envoy instantly disintegrated into dust.

"At least I obtained an Emperor-level secret treasure." Meng Chuan reached out and grasped the black mirror. With a single step, he vanished.

Given Meng Chuan's current cultivation realm and his self-created Heaven and Earth realm ultimate technique, the 'Cloud Mist Dragon-Serpent Movement Technique,' he could sense anyone, whether from human sects or the demon race, remotely peering at him through the void. He could even trace them back and remotely observe who was 'spying' on him. While the other observed locations were various human factions, it was the spying from this isolated island that led Meng Chuan to discover the black-robed Beijue and his companions.

Naturally, all human factions were equally dumbfounded.

The Venerables of Black Sand Grotto-Heaven, the Venerables of Two World Island, and Jing Fei, the Lord of the Demon-Slaying Alliance, were all profoundly shaken. Five of Meng Chuan's Primordial Spirit Avatars had effortlessly captured all the demon monarchs.

"No wonder Yuanchu Mountain was so confident."

"With five Primordial Spirit Avatars, Meng Chuan must have at least reached the Seventh Layer of the Primordial Spirit realm."

"Furthermore, I suspect he has already become an Emperor."

These Venerables were utterly stunned by such power.

Meanwhile, in the Demon Realm.

Inside the grand hall, Emperor Xinghe, Empress Xuanyue, and Emperor Peng sat in silence.

The three Emperors remained silent for the duration of a teacup's brewing time. In this profound stillness, countless thoughts swirled through their minds.

Their hearts were filled with despair!

Many of their previous delusions had been shattered. This profound sense of loss affected their state of mind.

They had been planning for nine centuries!

Just as success seemed within reach, they were struck by a devastating blow!

"How could this happen?" Empress Xuanyue whispered softly, breaking the silence.

Emperor Peng, however, remained the most composed. He stated calmly, "That day, when I saw Meng Chuan escape into the outer realms through the spacetime turbulence, I knew something was amiss. I immediately resolved to invade the Cangyuan Realm again within ten years, no matter the cost. Yet, Meng Chuan's growth has proven to be faster than I anticipated."

"Nine centuries have passed," Emperor Xinghe said grimly, "We've planned for nine centuries, right up to this final moment, only for a Meng Chuan to emerge and ruin all our efforts!"

"After all, it is the home world of a Seventh Tribulation Realm powerhouse," Emperor Peng remarked calmly. "How could the treasures of a Seventh Tribulation Realm powerhouse be so easily acquired? Even without Meng Chuan, there would likely have been other unforeseen circumstances. My intention has always been to force the human race to yield."

"So what do we do now?" Emperor Xinghe pressed. "Meng Chuan has displayed at least six Primordial Spirit Avatars, clearly reaching the Seventh Layer of the Primordial Spirit realm! And his mastery of the void might even have reached the Heaven and Earth realm."

"He should have reached the Heaven and Earth realm," Emperor Peng affirmed. "To be able to silently and instantly arrive anywhere in the Cangyuan Realm, combined with his inherent mastery of manipulating instantaneous flow rates and his void mastery, he could certainly achieve that."

"Heaven and Earth realm, Seventh Layer Primordial Spirit... has he become an Emperor?" Empress Xuanyue questioned further.

"Even if he has, he's merely a newly promoted Emperor, still in the early stages," Emperor Peng said coldly. "A new Emperor won't make me give up completely."

Empress Xuanyue and Emperor Xinghe looked at Emperor Peng.

"We must wait."

Emperor Peng stated indifferently, "Firstly, I must reach the Tribulation Realm so I can acquire more treasures from the Demon Ancestor Cave. Secondly, the 'Demon Saint Passage' must appear."

"Are you planning...?" Empress Xuanyue and Emperor Xinghe immediately began to speculate.

"I've heard that Ancestor Cangyuan had extremely high standards, disdaining many special lifeblood lineages and only refining the Dragon and Phoenix bloodlines for human inheritance," Emperor Peng sneered. "While our demon race has never produced a Seventh Tribulation Realm powerhouse, we have given birth to many Fifth and Sixth Tribulation Realm powerhouses, and our demon race possesses a variety of unique bloodlines."

"We shall see whether Ancestor Cangyuan's methods are superior or if the methods of our many Demon Ancestors in the demon race are stronger." There was a glint of madness in Emperor Peng's eyes; he clearly had no intention of giving up.

The proximity of their two life worlds was what granted them the opportunity to observe the human world. They would not abandon such a chance as long as there was even a glimmer of hope.

"I'm going into seclusion," Emperor Peng said, rising to his feet.

"What about the demon monarchs still lurking in the human world?" Emperor Xinghe inquired.

"You may handle them as you see fit." His indifferent voice still echoed as Emperor Peng vanished.

Within the Grotto-Heaven of Yuanchu Mountain.

The demon monarchs were piled into a small mountain on the square. Upon regaining consciousness, they found themselves 'stacked' there.

"What's going on?"

"What happened to us?" The demon monarchs tried to struggle, but discovered their primordial spirits, demonic energy, and even their physical bodies were sealed. Unable to move, they could only remain piled up in a mound.

Their exceptional vision allowed them to see what was behind them.

Though strangely piled, with some demon monarchs buried head-first, they could all still see the four figures standing before them.

These figures were Meng Chuan, Li Guan, a projection of Qin Wu, and a projection of Luo Tang.

"One hundred and ninety-three demon monarchs," Meng Chuan began. "Only by surrendering to the human race will you have a chance to live."

"Demon Saint Hanlie, the only one among you at the Sixth Layer of the Primordial Spirit realm, is too troublesome to control mentally, so it is not qualified to surrender." With a wave of Meng Chuan's hand, the yellow-furred Demon Saint Hanlie flew out from the pile of demon monarchs. Hanlie's eyes widened with shock and anger as a guardian deity flew forth and seized him.

"Imprison Demon Saint Hanlie," Meng Chuan instructed. "A possessed demon saint still has many other uses."

His words sent shivers through the demon monarchs piled before him.

Other uses if they didn't surrender? What kind of uses? At that moment, the demon monarchs envisioned numerous horrific scenarios, some of which had actually occurred in the Demon Realm.

"As for the rest of you," Meng Chuan calmly stated, "Although I have reached the Seventh Layer of the Primordial Spirit, for direct Primordial Spirit control, I can at most control thirty Fifth-Layer Primordial Spirit demon monarchs. Among you, there are thirty-five at the Fifth Layer of the Primordial Spirit, ninety-six at the Fourth Layer, and sixty-one at the Third Layer. Therefore, I can only control a portion of you. Only some of you will be able to surrender; for the others, there will be no such option. Without Primordial Spirit control, our human race will not permit a high-tier demon monarch to wander freely within the human world."

"For those unwilling to surrender, our human race will still find a use for you, though it will be more painful than 'death'," Meng Chuan declared. "Those willing to surrender may speak now. I will consider you in the order you speak."

The completely sealed demon monarchs suddenly found they could move their mouths.

The one hundred and ninety-two demon monarchs, piled into a small mountain, fell silent for a moment.

"I am willing to surrender," a hoarse voice suddenly declared, causing the expressions of many other demon monarchs to change.

"I am willing to surrender."

"I am willing."

In the Demon Realm, where the strong prey on the weak, the demon race was more accustomed to surrender. As soon as the first demon monarch expressed willingness to yield, nearly half of them spoke up in quick succession.

Meng Chuan, Li Guan, Qin Wu, and Luo Tang all watched the scene with satisfaction. After so many years, they felt the tides of war beginning to turn in their favor.

The war between the human and demon races had entered a new era.

The demon race had no immediate means to threaten humanity. However, with the passage of time, the world portals across the realms were slowly expanding, and their number was increasing. The number of super-large city passes, which had once been six, grew to seven, and then even eight...

Nevertheless, with Meng Chuan — a suspected Emperor at the Seventh Layer of the Primordial Spirit realm — present, the demon race could only cautiously probe and wait.

They waited for the day the 'Demon Saint Passage' would appear.

Meanwhile, Meng Chuan's true body remained in seclusion on the Black Dragon Star in the outer realms, cultivating.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-eight years had passed since the capture of the one hundred and ninety-three high-tier demon monarchs.

(End of this volume)