Chapter 577: Netherworld Domain and the Slash of All Peoples, The Final Stop

Several years had passed since the battle at the Jianzong Mountain Gate.

The Azure Dragon Demon Venerable's health had steadily deteriorated, growing worse by the day. Even though his bloodline granted him a lifespan far exceeding that of human cultivators at the same level, repeated severe injuries had brought him to the brink of death.

One day, the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable sent for the White Tiger Demon Venerable, who was overseeing the integration of the northern and southern demon clans. With a tone of profound helplessness, he declared, "My lifespan is nearing its end. From now on, the demon clan will depend on you. That little venomous flood dragon cannot be trusted."

The White Tiger Demon Venerable frowned deeply. He closely examined the Azure Dragon's physical condition. A deep-seated death qi was on the verge of invading his heart meridian, a clear sign that his end was nigh. The more magnanimous the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable appeared, the deeper the White Tiger's guilt became. Despite being a born harbinger of death, a peerless ominous spirit, he found himself unable to utter a single word of refusal.

After a long silence, the burly White Tiger Demon Venerable spoke, "It's my fault. If I hadn't been incited by scoundrels back then, I would never have resorted to such cruel methods. Ultimately, you and I are the pillars of the demon clan. If you depart, this king... will struggle to sustain the vast demon clan alone."

"No," the Azure Dragon shook his head. "The human race is nearing its end. Even before that Dao Integration powerful being descends, they will likely self-destruct. You will see the results in thirty years at most. After my demise, take the geniuses and elites from each clan, along with the younger elders who still have long lifespans, and go to this place... to avoid the calamity for a thousand years."

The White Tiger Demon Venerable was first astonished, then bewildered. Astonished by the claim that the human race was nearing its end—what was the basis for this judgment? And bewildered by the place of refuge, which was not the Ancient Beast Ancestor Mountain he had previously discussed with Wang Yu.

"Do you have doubts?" the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable suddenly burst into laughter. "Those human brats have bullied our demon clan for tens of thousands of years. Now, with the help of the celestials, we will surely wipe them out and scatter their ashes. Let me tell you..."

Immediately afterward, the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable detailed his arrangements to the White Tiger. The latter was shocked, even furious, to hear that the plan involved fueling internal strife and leveraging the demon clan's widespread smuggling network to instantly transmit the news across both regions. Even dangerous areas like the boundless ice plain and the primordial wilderness, and even an inconspicuous small mountain village, received the message immediately.

The White Tiger Demon Venerable fumed, "Why do you still engage in internal conflict and create enemies for the demon clan? You must know this plan is crude, and Wang Yu is the only Divine Transformation cultivator left in the world, with formidable combat strength no less than a late-stage cultivator. Why provoke trouble?"

"I provoke trouble?" The Azure Dragon Demon Venerable also flared up at this. "That Wang Yu stole the treasure of the First Saint Lord from the Heavenly Palace and caused the Five-Colored Serpent to betray the demon clan and side with external villains, all while ruining my healing. Now that I'm at the end of my life, he bears fifty percent of the responsibility."

The White Tiger nearly laughed in exasperation. "Do you think I don't know what happened in the Heavenly Palace secret realm? What First Saint Lord, that's nonsense! It was clearly the Ice Clan's Saint Lord... As for the Five-Colored Serpent, there's nothing good to say. If you really want to calculate, Wang Yu did disrupt your healing process, but the root cause of your injury lies with me. Now you're dying; has your mind gone muddled?"

The White Tiger felt a chill run down his spine. He had never doubted the Azure Dragon before, seeing their good relations with Wang Yu. Who would have thought he harbored such venom? It was utterly terrifying. He immediately became wary of the Azure Dragon, his fierce spirit starting to take over, but then he heard the other say...

"My mind is perfectly clear. Since Wang Yu hasn't come to demand an explanation these past few years, there's no problem. He's struggling to protect himself; what time does he have to bother us..." Before he could finish speaking, a massive roar echoed from beyond the heavens.

"—Azure Dragon old dog, come out and die!!!"

Inside the cultivation chamber, the Azure Dragon and White Tiger exchanged glances. The former coughed awkwardly, "Well, I miscalculated. Anyway, I don't have many days left to live, so sacrificing this life to him isn't a loss."

He prepared to leave, but stopped after a few steps. Without turning back, he said, "After this calamity, the human population will be greatly reduced, and naturally, there will be far fewer cultivation talents. The next thousand years should be a period for you all to recuperate and rebuild, gradually reclaiming the Ice Prison. Once the time comes, you can return to your peak!" With that, his figure flickered and vanished.

The White Tiger Demon Venerable clenched his fists, wanting to beat the Azure Dragon senseless, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. As the Azure Dragon said, for the clan, he truly sacrificed himself without hesitation and was a hero. Now... he had to face his ultimate demise.

The White Tiger Demon Venerable's anger wasn't directed at the Azure Dragon or fear of Wang Yu; it was actually due to his curse magic. The inherited curse magic of the Omen of Death Tiger lineage was tied to destiny and fortune. He had basically cursed every human prodigy. However, remote curses, without any medium for transmission, were less effective. They generally couldn't kill deeply cultivated cultivators but could allow him to roughly discern a person's fortune and blessings.

As for Wang Yu... from the moment his name spread across both righteous and demonic paths, the White Tiger had secretly acted. Initially, he used a bad luck curse, only to discover that Wang Yu's fortune was like jade green, with verdant and azure clouds floating behind him, an extraordinary sight of ascending to immortality. Among all his curse targets, this was the most memorable phenomenon.

Then, after rescuing the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable, he learned that the Refining Heaven's demon flame clone had been destroyed by a junior. Fearing this person's talent, he used a "flower-shredding" curse this time, which could erode one's foundation, potential, and cultivation—truly malicious and overbearing. He then witnessed Wang Yu, a version blessed with boundless good fortune. The azure clouds streamed like a waterfall, surging to the ninth heaven, carrying Wang Yu upwards. And deep within the ninth heaven, a pair of divine eyes, radiating heavenly might, seemed to look back at him. This wasn't merely "having achieved something"; it was clearly the favored child of heaven, with blessings so profound they were unbelievable, a true embodiment of "what one desires, one achieves."

Since then, he had never thought of revenge. He even felt fortunate that the Azure Dragon was on good terms with him, at least avoiding becoming enemies. That's why, upon learning of the hidden trickery, he was so enraged. To make an enemy of someone with such astonishing fortune... the already meager destiny of the demon clan would likely be completely shattered.

"Alas..." Thinking of this, he sighed deeply. Only then did he walk out of the quiet room, wanting to see how Wang Yu would handle the situation.

"The Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree? No, this item is a rare treasure brought by the Ancient Beast Ancestor from the upper realm. It has taken hundreds of thousands of years to reach its current state; it cannot be given to you."

"You won't give it to me? That makes it even easier," Wang Yu said, seeing the Azure Dragon's deathly pale face. He bared his teeth in a grin, which, though spotless, seemed stained with endless blood, sending a chill down one's spine.

The Azure Dragon Demon Venerable's face suddenly changed, and he roared, "What are you doing? There are strong enemies surrounding us externally, and you still want to be an enemy of my demon clan? Do you truly disregard these billions of lives?!"

"The lives of humans are the only true lives... beasts are not fit to breathe the same air in this world as this Venerable!" He admitted that he harbored a certain degree of species arrogance, equally discriminating against all other races.

Wang Yu raised his right hand, and a noble, mysterious black-purple long sword quietly appeared. With a gentle shake, boundless Yin energy emanated, and the land beneath his feet visibly turned gray and black. All ancient trees and spirit herbs withered, their life force extinguished. This was one of the abilities of the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword: the "Netherworld Domain!"

As the deathly domain spread, it completely bypassed the protective formations of the ancestral land. The lesser demons hidden within felt an immense tightness in their chests. Three breaths later, they fell to the ground, their faces stiff. Demon souls shot out from their bodies, flocking towards the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword. This was another ability of the Netherworld Domain, called "Soul Summoning!" It was a perfect example of a mass attack, a helpful tool for clan extermination, a cleaner of the weak... Any cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage who couldn't control their body and soul would, within the Netherworld Domain, inevitably be subjected to soul summoning.

Thus, in just a few breaths, countless demon souls swirled forth. At a glance, their number already exceeded ten million. This ocean of demon souls surged madly into the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword.

"—How dare you, brat!" the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable exclaimed in shock and rage, unable to believe that Wang Yu actually dared to act so recklessly, utterly lawless. Although he had planned to sacrifice himself... surely, they could negotiate terms?

It was this very thought that made him reject the demand for the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree.

On the other side, fueled by the conviction that beasts were just beasts and deserved to die, Wang Yu harvested the lives of countless weak demon clansmen without a shred of hesitation, never feeling so refreshed. His primordial spirit seemed to tremble, completely immersed in the boundless karma of slaughter. The perfected Asura Dharma Intent spontaneously emerged from within him, transforming into an endless sea of blood that complemented the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword perfectly. These demon souls would fill the Yin Corpse Space within the Heavenly Son's Sword. As long as the sword remained intact, they would never be extinguished! They could even absorb the Yin Corpse Qi within it to grow, becoming even more powerful after death than they were in life.

At that moment, the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable could no longer sit idly by as the calamity spread. He furiously attacked, unleashing a Qing Jiao Banner as a treasure, casting it far out to pierce the edge of the Netherworld Domain. Amidst a burst of green light, ten flood dragon souls halted the domain's expansion.

Wang Yu was displeased. "A mantis trying to stop a chariot." He activated the second divine ability of the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword:

"—Myriad People Slash!" Instantly, the demon souls that had just been enslaved into the sword screamed, their soul forms burning with Yin fire until they were incinerated, leaving only a black light clinging to the sword body.

This was also a divine ability conceived by the Heavenly Son's authority. "Myriad People Slash"—the name itself might not seem like much, but when one saw its activation method, it was truly as sinister as could be. These demon souls, once converted into power, would simply be reborn in the Yin Corpse Space after a period, so they were not single-use consumables. And as time passed, the more Yin souls the Yanluo Heavenly Son's Sword enslaved, the more potent its effect became! Sinister, powerful, a true demonic supreme treasure.

In the blink of an eye, the power of millions of black souls—no, millions of demon lives—transformed into a single sword strike, tearing open the very sky as it ferociously slashed towards the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable. The latter's expression changed. When a demon's lifespan neared its end, their bloodline became empty, and their vital energy waned, severely impacting their strength. He simply couldn't withstand an attack from Wang Yu activating a supreme demonic treasure.

"Stop!" The White Tiger Demon Venerable suddenly roared, attempting to save the Azure Dragon's life, but then he saw Wang Yu throw out another demonic diagram, transforming into an endless mist of desire that tightly trapped him. Judging by his intentions, it seemed he wanted to completely exterminate the demon clan.

What a heavy killing intent! What a fierce disposition! The problem was, he truly had the power. The Way of Curses was naturally countered by those with profound good fortune; facing Wang Yu, the White Tiger Demon Venerable's favored methods were inherently inferior. The Azure Dragon was dying; if he truly died... the White Tiger would be no match for Wang Yu. The danger of clan extermination was imminent!!!

"I offer the entire Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree to fellow Daoist. Please, I beg you, spare the demon clan, spare the Azure Dragon!" The White Tiger Demon Venerable decisively made his choice, immediately sacrificing the treasure to save his people.

However, Wang Yu showed no sign of heeding him. A deeper sense of desolation filled White Tiger's heart. Amidst the boundless cold tide, the White Tiger only saw an ice lotus bloom, and then the Azure Dragon's life force vanished. A thousand-zhang ice-sealed dragon corpse was lifted by Wang Yu and leisurely placed into his Heart of the Sea Ring.

After the Netherworld Domain absorbed nearly half of the demon clan's souls, he personally slew twenty transformed demon cultivators, captured their Nascent Souls into the Ice Tower, and threw all their true demon bodies into the Heart of the Sea Ring. Demon Nascent Souls could be used for alchemy, and demon bodies for body refinement—all valuable commodities.

Finally, he retracted the effects of the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Diagram and stared at the White Tiger Demon Venerable, saying, "What happened today is the demon clan's own doing. Considering that you once extended a helping hand, I will spare your life. As for the demon clan... bring me the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree, and this Venerable will leave you a path to survival."

This consideration was partly for the White Tiger Demon Venerable and partly for the Ancient Beast Ancestor. He had gained countless benefits from trespassing on the Divine Mountain, received two secret arts from the Ancient Beast Ancestor's lingering consciousness, and was told the secrets of heaven and earth. That was a very important transformational juncture in his life. Therefore, he showed mercy.

Otherwise, the White Tiger Demon Venerable obediently retrieved the Ancient Tea Tree, without any thought of resisting. He knew his own limitations; once his curse divine abilities were ineffective, the universally weak demon bodies of the Omen of Death Tiger lineage were simply no match. He couldn't fight.

After handing over the treasure, the White Tiger Demon Venerable was utterly disheartened. He said no more. He channeled monstrous demon power, transforming it into black clouds, and moved the entire demon ancestral land. The direction seemed to be towards the Divine Mountain, to retrieve the numerous demon ancestors cultivating in the Heart Beast Pagoda. Thus, after the Ice Clan, the demon clan completely exited the stage!

As for the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree, Wang Yu carefully sealed it, planning to re-plant it elsewhere in the future, or perhaps cultivate it as part of his own foundation when he broke through to the Void Refinement stage and could open up a personal universe. Both were good options. The tea leaves were consumed quite quickly, and he didn't get many usable ones this time—only nine leaves, enough to support his enlightenment for twenty-seven years, which was basically sufficient.

Having resolved this matter and acquired the first major treasure, Wang Yu rushed without delay to his second target: Lake Tai Spirit Realm, Five Absolute Sect.

The sect master had reached the complete Nascent Soul stage and possessed five perfected divine abilities, hence the name "Five Absolute." Wang Yu was pressed for time and cared not for formalities.

A sea of blood covered the sky, and the Venerable's pressure swept everything. "Five Absolute Sect Master, hand over the Bodhi Seed, and I will spare your life!"

"What... Senior... Don't... don't be hasty, junior will present the Bodhi Seed at once."

At the ancient Qilin clan ruins, Wang Yu came and went quickly. After replicating the Saint Thief secret art, he left directly. Although he had no intention of cultivating it, it was good to collect such a precious secret art. It might have other uses in the future.

Lake Tai Spirit Realm, Heavenly Burial Platform. At his current realm, he could go to any dangerous place in the world. However, obtaining the Life-Death Ephemeral Gu was more difficult than expected; even an ordinary Divine Transformation cultivator would be helpless. Wang Yu relied on his powerful physique and forcibly entered the forbidden land. At the cost of significant vital energy depletion, he forcefully extracted the Ephemeral Gu. Afterward, with the Azure Dragon's corpse for replenishment, it wasn't a major issue and would recover with a bit of time.

Finally, at the Eastern Sea of Chaos, Heavenly Dream Island. The island master here treasured three *hu* of Yellow Millet Wine, which was the last of the five enlightenment methods he was collecting.