Chapter 621: The Gate of the Demon

"It seems the boss has no intention of stopping them," someone said. "Should the three of us do something for him? Once the Demon Gate opens, a true catastrophe will likely descend. At that point, not only this underground battlefield, but perhaps the entire Glacier Kingdom will fall under the demons' trampling!"

Shi Lingyun shook his head helplessly. "It's no use. With just the three of us, we can't possibly stop Zikuang and Zuiye from acting together. Rushing out would only add more burden to the boss. Let's just wait and see."

Long Kun did not act impulsively this time. He clearly understood the consequences of this battle, knowing that even a slight misstep could doom the future of the entire continent. He lacked Xu Yang's profound abilities and couldn't afford to play such a high-stakes game.

As the three abandoned the idea of intervening, Zikuang and Zuiye proceeded smoothly with opening the Demon Gate. In an instant, the entire void began to tremble frequently, seemingly in response to their actions.

Zuiye let out a painful roar as immense energy burned, rapidly consuming his vast physical power. His colossal body, originally dozens of meters tall, withered and shrank quickly.

As his physical form changed, the black light emanating from his body continuously intensified, serving as a clear omen of the Demon Gate's imminent opening.

The air was thick with foreboding.

The opening of the Demon Gate plunged all living beings throughout the underground palace into endless panic. This included the various factions led by the Seven Archdevils, who were all terrified to the extreme.

Yet, they also understood that this day was inevitable. Even by gathering the power of the Seven Archdevils, it would be impossible to thwart any command issued by Zikuang.

"This catastrophe has finally arrived," remarked someone. "It seems Lord Xu Yang and his companions weren't able to thwart Zikuang's scheme!"

Yu Hou and others from the White Feather clan looked at the dark void with bewildered expressions, unable to suppress their sighs.

Their strength certainly didn't allow them to approach Evil Spirit Canyon, but they were perfectly clear about the omens preceding the Demon Gate's opening.

"Perhaps this is our fate," someone lamented. "This day is truly upon us; no one can prevent the catastrophe."

Yu Zun also shook his head and sighed helplessly. At that moment, he issued an order, summoning all clan members to gather in the main hall of the White Feather clan's headquarters to pray towards the dim void.

Unbeknownst to them, at this very moment, the impending fluctuations from the Demon Gate's opening profoundly impacted the lake area at the entrance of the underground palace.

"How could this be?"

The Guard Commander and the female envoy stared at each other, their faces filled with horror. Neither had anticipated Zikuang would choose this moment to open the Demon Gate.

"Damn it," the female envoy exclaimed, "if these power fluctuations alert our Leader, our plan will ultimately fail!"

The female envoy looked anxiously at the Guard Commander. "What do we do now?"

"There's no other way," the Guard Commander replied. "Take the Code and leave with me immediately. If the Leader and others discover our plan, we'll be the first to face the consequences."

The female envoy understood this perfectly. If the demonic catastrophe below the underground palace arrived prematurely, plunging the entire Glacier Kingdom into chaos, it would actually create a crucial opportunity for their own plans to succeed. However, if the Leader discovered the Code's location before the catastrophe, their efforts would be for naught.

Realizing this, the Guard Commander immediately destroyed all the arrangements they had previously set up around the lake. He then vanished from the vicinity of the underground palace entrance, taking the female envoy with him.

Indeed, it wasn't long before two representatives from the Elder Council, under the Glacier Kingdom's Leader, personally arrived at the underground palace entrance to investigate the energy anomaly.

"Third Elder, it seems our assessment was correct," one of them stated. "That wretch beneath the underground palace truly intends to open the Demon Gate."

The man beside him, with a white beard and hair, known as the Third Elder, couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"According to our previous assessment, Zikuang should still be centuries away from fully mastering his techniques. There's no reason for him to prematurely open the Demon Gate at this critical juncture and challenge us. Without fully integrating the power of angels, he won't be able to truly control the Demon Gate's full power, nor can he defeat the Arch-divine inheritances within the Glacier Kingdom. I truly don't understand their reasoning."

The exquisite-looking youth beside him scoffed. "Who cares about him? That beast Zikuang was tormented to near death by the Leader back then, then finally discarded into the deepest part of the underground palace like a wild dog. The Leader once said that while he couldn't kill Zikuang, he could imprison him forever in the lightless depths of the underground palace. Now, even if he opens the Demon Gate, he'll ultimately remain within the Leader's grasp."

The Third Elder sighed slowly. "Perhaps it's not as optimistic as you suggest. While Zikuang was no match for the Leader back then, we are all well aware of his talent. Inheriting three great artifacts, his aptitude is not to be underestimated. If he truly integrates the full power of the Angel Soul Pillar into his bloodline, combined with the endless source of evil from the Demon Gate's invasion, the Glacier Kingdom will surely face a new catastrophe!"

The Third Elder's insights and judgments were clearly far more thorough than those of the relatively younger elder beside him, leaving the latter speechless.

"Then, Third Elder, what do you suggest we do now?" the young elder asked. "Should we personally investigate the depths of the underground palace, or should we immediately return to the main hall and inform the Leader of the situation here?"

The Third Elder pondered for a moment. "No, this matter is too significant. We should inform the Leader as soon as possible so he can prepare. A single Zikuang, no matter his strength, wouldn't leave us entirely helpless. But if the true Six Paths of Demons are fully opened, we will face an endless horde of demons. At that point, even our Glacier Kingdom will be overwhelmed!"

"Understood!"

The two elders exchanged glances, then soared into the air. They immediately returned to the Glacier Kingdom's most magnificent Leader's Hall to report the situation to the current Leader.

Undoubtedly, the entire Glacier Kingdom had begun to fall into panic over the Demon Gate's impending opening. Only Xu Yang, who remained in his meditative state, was still greedily comprehending the essence of the Heavenly Dao laws surrounding the underground palace. His enlightenment process had already entered its final stage.

At this moment, Xu Yang's body was nearly translucent. Not to mention Zikuang, even if the Glacier Kingdom's Leader were to arrive in person, they likely wouldn't be able to detect his presence. He was just one step away from achieving ultimate unity with the Dao.

It was precisely at this moment that Zikuang fully opened the three Demon Gates. The enormous cost was Zuiye's colossal body, half of which was utterly destroyed by the burning of this supreme power.