Chapter 666
Ending
Jiang Shu's fingertip pointed to the southwest corner of the map.
The chaotic reefs resemble the skeletal remains of a giant beast eroded by the wind, menacingly protruding into the gray sea.
There must be someone here to meet us.
His voice was steady, without any discernible emotion.
But a jade talisman had already quietly appeared in his hand, from which messages were being transmitted.
He was temporarily stationed in Panhai City, and naturally, a Daoist from the Zhenwu Sect came to accompany him.
Although Daoist Wangchen only advanced to the Myriad Manifestations Realm during this great battle, his understanding of the Five Elements Dao is extremely profound, and he is skilled in the art of concealment.
Sending him to carry out this mission would be just right.
Jiang Shu's gaze swept across the map and landed on the phantom of the teleportation tower that stood like a colossal tower reaching the heavens in the central area of Panhai City.
The tower's base extends deep into the earth's veins, its complex structure resembling a maze, making it a core node in the spatial network of the entire city.
That is the end of the second secret passage, and also the entrance to the most dangerous trap.
Without saying another word, Jiang Shu took a step forward, his figure causing the space in front of him to ripple, and in the next instant, he disappeared from the city lord's mansion.
……
The entrance to the core area of the teleportation tower is sealed by a heavy black iron talisman gate, its surface covered with flowing warning runes.
The heavy array of runes isolated the inside from the outside, creating a small, self-contained space within the tower. The spiritual energy was pure, yet it carried the subtle spatial disturbances characteristic of teleportation.
In the deep shadows outside the talisman gate, in an extremely narrow, almost nonexistent crevice near the junction of the tower base and the rock strata, huddled a figure that was almost one with the darkness.
His name is Xuan Chi.
Xuan Chi's breathing was suppressed to the point of near cessation.
Three days, three full days.
He was like a drop of filthy blood seeping into a crack in the rock, not daring to use any demonic power. He relied entirely on the resilience of his body to forcibly suppress his heartbeat, and on the thin layer of mysterious ice scales under his skin to isolate the last trace of life, like a truly dead reef.
The cold, damp air emanating from deep within the earth seeped into the feathered scales, bringing a piercing numbness.
Even now, he still can't believe that his clan's Xuanming Demon Lord was defeated and routed by Jiang Shu, the newly promoted Dao Venerable.
This was simply unbelievable to Xuan Chi.
Xuanming Demon Lord was the strongest member of the Kunpeng clan in the previous generation.
The strongest member of the Kunpeng lineage in the future is very likely to become the clan's ancestor.
Although he was only at the mid-stage of the Demon Lord realm, his cultivation was already no weaker than that of a typical late-stage Demon Lord.
Yet even such beings were injured by Jiang Shu.
This is an unprecedented humiliation for the Kunpeng clan.
As for myself, as a descendant of the Kunpeng clan, I am now trapped in this impregnable city by Jiang Shu, like a rat in a gutter!
Damn Jiang Shu!
The black dragon's sharp teeth rubbed silently in its mouth, and its venomous resentment almost burst through its throat.
He narrowly escaped the swift purge three days ago, but the hidden agents and intelligence network that Yao Xi had painstakingly planted over the years were uprooted and destroyed without leaving him any chance of survival.
Those who are implicated will be executed along with their entire families; those under curfew will be killed!
This is not domination, it is extermination, it is a prison!
Not even a wisp of wind could get in.
What chilled him to the bone even more was Jiang Shu's ability to perceive space.
Xuan Chi possesses the top-tier talent of Kunpeng's stealth ability. He is confident that he could have done it if the Dao Venerable had not searched carefully and made a slight stealth move.
But when facing Jiang Shu, he didn't even dare to try to move in a slightly larger space.
That omnipresent, icy will, seemingly able to see through all illusions, is like a sharp blade hanging overhead, ready to strike at any moment.
He had never felt death so clearly before; the feeling was more profound than the reprimands from the demon lord of his clan.
Can't wait any longer.
Once their presence is exposed, they will be instantly reduced to dust.
We have to take a gamble!
With a slight thought, he used the faint divine sense fluctuations inherited from his bloodline—a power that even those at the Demon Lord level could barely wield—to cautiously probe a pre-set emergency contact node deep within the earth's veins.
It was a tiny bubble-like space attached to the underground water veins, and also an extension of his hiding place.
Soon, his divine sense connected with three faint and fearful auras.
Those were three half-human, half-demon remnants of the Demon Dawn, whose cultivation level was only at the Transformation stage. They were Xuan Chi's last remaining subordinates left in the outer perimeter of the city, and their fear and despair were clearly conveyed.
A bunch of useless people, but they're still somewhat useful.
Xuan Chi's divine sense ruthlessly suppressed the panic of his three subordinates, carrying an unquestionable command, like a cold thread piercing through the darkness.
"listen!"
"The only chance for survival lies in the southwestern reefs. The rescue operation there has already begun. This is your only chance to live."
"Set off immediately! Conceal all traces of your presence, stealthily navigate through the underground currents, and break out at all costs!"
"If even one person manages to escape, immediately activate the communication talisman with your blood and report this tragic situation to the Imperial Palace. A great reward will be given!"
He imprinted a fake spatial coordinate mark, mimicking the aura of the Dark Abyss, into the mind of one of the demons. The coordinates pointed to the most dangerous undercurrent vortex area in the chaotic reef beach.
That place wasn't a rendezvous point at all, but a dead end, a trap that could cause a huge commotion and provide cover for their escape.
The three subordinates' divine senses were instantly ignited by a blind will to survive and a vain desire for reward, turning them into fanatics and ruthless individuals.
Xuan Chi severed the connection without any reaction, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.
His subordinates were like geckos.
A gecko's tail can break off to buy its owner time to escape.
He needed to make a commotion, to have someone distract Jiang Shu and the city's defenses, to temporarily divert that sharp "eye."
Almost the instant the divine sense was severed, in the southwest direction, separated by thick layers of rock and seawater, an extremely violent and chaotic energy fluctuation suddenly exploded!
The intense roar of magic, the howl of demonic power, and the faint screams of the dying could be heard, but they were quickly weakened and distorted by the distance and the rock layers, leaving only a dull tremor that reached the vicinity of the teleportation tower.
Sure enough, there is someone!
Although the people under his command were not strong enough, they were still great demons at the Transformation Realm. The fact that they died so quickly suggests that at least a Dao Lord level person had intervened.
Xuan Chi could clearly "hear" the devastating explosion that was happening in the distance.
Before he went into hiding, he had secretly left a seed at the temporary hideout of his three subordinates, and he could sense their life force.
He was killed almost instantly.
Such methods are only possible for a Daoist master.
However, according to his plan, the Dao Lords in the city should also be involved in other miscellaneous matters. The one who is making a move now is most likely Jiang Shu, Jiang Taixuan!
This was his only chance of survival.
Xuan Chi didn't think any further. He pressed himself against the cold, rough stone wall, held his breath, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.
Demonic energy emanated from every pore of his body. The shadow of the entrance to the core area of the teleportation tower perfectly enveloped him, and the violent energy fluctuations coming from the direction of the chaotic reefs outside swept across the entire Panhai City with a destructive aura; even deep underground, one could feel the heart-palpitating tremors.
This is the best opportunity yet!
A sickly flush rose on Xuan Chi's pale face due to excitement.
Those three baits successfully attracted Pan Haicheng's attention, and might even have forced that killing god to take action himself!
The intense energy fluctuations were the best cover for him to escape this place, and also the only way he planned to survive.
Despite the excruciating pain from his escape and the overwhelming weakness that felt like his mind was being torn apart, he shot out of the shadows like a dark streak of light.
His target was the core control node of the teleportation tower ahead, which was emitting gentle spatial fluctuations.
Once the preset coordinates are activated, one can instantly jump to a safe point reserved deep within the demon realm, completely escaping this city of death controlled by Jiang Shu.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and the warm light of the teleportation core magnified before our eyes, almost within reach.
The hope of survival has never felt so real. Escaping this hellish place and getting rid of the shadow of that terrifying human race is within reach!
"It's done!"
This thought ignited like a flame in his nearly exhausted mind, and a surge of ecstatic joy at escaping despair instantly overwhelmed all fear and pain.
Jiang Shu's reputation was too great. Even Xuanming Demon Lord, who was like a god in his mind, suffered a great loss at his hands. Xuan Chi now had only one thought in his mind.
Get out!
But just as his fingertips were about to touch the cold yet vibrant surface of the array crystal, the space froze without warning.
Everything around was instantly frozen into ancient ice; the previous high-speed sprint turned into complete stillness in the next instant.
Xuan Chi felt as if he had become an insect embedded in amber, unable to even blink a finger or an eyelid.
The teleportation beam that was so close at hand was now out of reach.
Immediately afterwards, a long, strong hand with distinct knuckles appeared silently in front of him, as if peeled from the frozen air, and grabbed his throat without resistance.
Cold, hard, with a power that could crush stars.
The feeling of suffocation instantly gripped Xuan Chi's throat and shut down all his thoughts.
His eyes nearly popped out as he stared incredulously at the owner of the hand.
He stood calmly before the transmitted light, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
The city lord of Panhai City was dressed in a dark blue robe, which was spotless. His face was young but calm as a deep pool or ancient well. Only his deep, star-like eyes reflected his distorted and horrified face. Beneath the calm was the coldness of an absolute ruler.
Jiang Shu!
Shouldn't he be on the turbulent reefs, at the center of that violent energy storm?!
The immense fear, like countless ice needles, instantly pierced through the Xuan Chi's newly ignited ecstasy and vitality, utterly shattering all his luck and hope.
A chilling despair engulfed him like a tidal wave, freezing his limbs and bones until they lost all feeling.
He knew he was finished. His carefully planned escape was nothing more than a ridiculous child's trick in front of this man.
Jiang Shu didn't immediately exert force with the hand gripping his throat. Instead, she lifted him up like a chick, his feet off the ground, dangling in mid-air.
The feeling of suffocation caused Xuan Chi's face to quickly turn from flushed to a terrifying bluish-purple.
"Want to escape?"
Jiang Shu spoke, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather, devoid of any warmth or human emotion, yet it sent a chill down Xuan Chi's spine, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"You're already in such a hurry to get started on this project in Haicheng, haven't even warmed up the land yet?"
The Xuan Chi made a struggling "hoarse" sound from its throat, saliva uncontrollably spilled from the corner of its mouth, and its eyes were bloodshot from fear.
Dao Venerable... This is the power of the Dao Venerable!
This demon lord was like a child who couldn't even kill a chicken.
They didn't even have the slightest power to resist!
"boom!"
Xuan Chi felt as if he had been slammed against the stone wall beside him like a broken sack, and excruciating pain spread throughout his body, causing his internal organs to shift.
He curled up on the ground, coughing violently, each breath carrying the smell of blood and a burning pain in his lungs, looking as wretched as a dying wild dog.
Jiang Shu looked down at him, her gaze devoid of any pity, only scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible interest.
"I don't like wasting time."
Jiang Shu's voice remained steady, yet it clearly entered Xuan Chi's hazy mind.
"Now, I give you two choices."
Xuan Chi's body stiffened abruptly. His survival instinct made him struggle to lift his head, his eyes filled with confusion and hope as he looked at the figure who would decide his fate.
"First."
Jiang Shu extended his left index finger; the fingertip shone without any light, yet it sent a chill through Xuan Chi's very soul.
"I will forcibly search your sea of consciousness using the Great Dao of the Soul."
"You should know the consequences of being searched by the Great Dao of Souls. At best, your intelligence will be completely destroyed and your cultivation as a Demon Lord will be completely dissipated. Or, even more directly, your soul will be scattered, which will be a good way to cleanse yourself."
The Path of the Soul, forcibly searching souls!
These words struck Xuan Chi's heart like a heavy hammer.
He had personally witnessed how the clan elders treated human cultivators in this way, and their miserable fates were more despairing than the most brutal torture.
That is not just death, but an abyss that is more eternal than death!
"second."
Jiang Shu extended a second finger, his tone unchanged.
"Tell me everything you know about Yao Xi."
"If I find you useful, I can spare your life and let you crawl back to your demon realm."
"A way out..."
These two words cast a glimmer of light into the abyss of despair. Upon hearing them, Xuan Chi's somewhat unfocused gaze instantly sharpened.
As long as Jiang Shu is willing to spare his life and let him return to the Demon Realm, even if his foundation is damaged, he will still have a chance to survive and even have a glimmer of hope to continue his cultivation and make further progress in the future!
He himself had previously had contact with the Demon Lord Xuanming.
If the information from this place were uploaded, it might attract the attention of the Xuanming Demon Lord.
Jiang Shu... such a being wouldn't deceive me, would he?
After all, if it were really necessary, Jiang Shu, with his cultivation level, could have already directly searched his soul.
His thoughts raced through his mind, and Xuan Chi took a deep breath.
In the eyes of the Daoist Master, an existence like himself was no more than an ant.
Perhaps that's why Jiang Shu, this Supreme Daoist Master, is so indifferent to him.
My own life or death will have no impact on the overall situation.
What the Supreme Daoist Master Tai Xuan needs is precise intelligence.
Without any hesitation, Xuan Chi directly chose to convince himself.
"I said!"
Xuan Chi shouted hoarsely, his voice distorted by fear and pain, carrying the urgency of someone who had just survived a catastrophe.
"My lord, I choose the second one!" (End of this chapter)