37: Demon Ancestor

Above the clouds, Zhang Sheng rode a pure white Heavenly Horse through the Ten Thousand Demon Continent, which was shrouded in Devilish Qi.

The Heavenly Horse's four hooves trod on the clouds, blooming golden lotuses in the Void Realm with every step.

Suddenly, the Devilish Qi ahead churned like a sea, instantly condensing into a black cloud that blotted out the sun and stood across Zhang Sheng's path.

Five figures slowly stepped out of the devilish cloud. The leader wore deep black robes and a twelve-tasseled demon crown.

His face was handsome yet exuded a chilling coldness, with a purple demon mark faintly visible between his brows. "This Emperor is the City Lord of the City of Ten Thousand Demons, the Grand Void Demon Emperor." His voice was like a cold spring striking stone, echoing between heaven and earth.

Zhang Sheng lightly stroked the Heavenly Horse's mane and said calmly, "Immortal Realm Envoy Zhang Sheng." His gaze swept over the five people opposite him, and the heavenly staff turned slightly in his palm. "Are you here to stop me, or..."

"By the decree of the Demon Ancestor, we have come specifically to welcome the Immortal Envoy." The Grand Void Demon Emperor raised his hand in a gesture, and the devilish cloud behind him immediately split open into a passage.

The Grand Void Demon Emperor pointed to the two Devil Emperors on the left. "This one with red eyes and dragon horns is Dragon Demon, and the one beside him in blood-colored robes is the Blood Demon." He then turned to the right. "The one in purple is the Myriad Soul Devil Emperor, and the one clad in silver armor is the Starfall Devil Emperor."

Zhang Sheng said indifferently, "Zhang Sheng."

Dragon Demon suddenly snorted coldly. "A mere Immortal Lord, yet you do not bow upon seeing an Emperor. What an arrogant attitude." Dragon scales suddenly appeared all over his body, and his demonic might surged like a tide.

Zhang Sheng lightly tapped the heavenly staff against the Void Realm, and thousands of golden lights transformed into a barrier. "The Immortal and Demon paths are different; why should there be talk of bowing?" As he spoke, the Heavenly Horse raised its head and neighed loudly, the single horn on its forehead bursting with brilliant immortal light.

"Enough." With a wave of his sleeve, the Grand Void Demon Emperor's invisible demonic pressure caused Dragon Demon to groan and retreat. He took a deep look at the heavenly staff in Zhang Sheng's hand, then turned and rode the devilish cloud. "Please follow this Emperor."

During the flight, Dragon Demon sent a secret transmission: "Your Highness, why don't we speed up and ditch this fellow..."

"Naive." A dark light flickered in the Grand Void Demon Emperor's demonic pupils. "Either kill him on the spot, or treat him with courtesy. Since the Demon Ancestor ordered us to welcome him, there must be a deeper meaning."

The mountains and rivers below receded rapidly, and the group soon arrived at the majestic City of Ten Thousand Demons. The city walls were over a thousand feet high, forged entirely from Nether Black Iron, with blood-colored runes flowing across their surface.

Two Taotie stone statues sat at the city gate; sensing the Immortal Qi, they immediately opened their crimson eyes.

"After you, Immortal Envoy." The Grand Void Demon Emperor led Zhang Sheng through the bustling marketplace. Demon buildings lined both sides of the street, and various demon vendors hawked rare treasures.

There was a Nine-Headed Serpent Demon selling Poison Dragon Galls, a Three-Eyed Demoness fiddling with Human-Faced Spider Silk, and even Succubi singing and dancing on the pavilions.

They reached the "Mystic Pavilion" Inn in the city. The shopkeeper was a hunchbacked old demon who hurriedly knelt upon seeing the Grand Void Demon Emperor's arrival. "Arrange a Heaven-grade guest room." The Grand Void Demon Emperor flicked a demon crystal from his fingertip. "The assembly at the Ten Thousand Demon Palace will be tomorrow at the hour of Chen; I will personally come to lead you then."

After the five Devil Emperors left, Zhang Sheng pushed open the carved wooden window. Moonlight from the Demon Realm's unique blood moon spilled in. He gazed at the majestic Ten Thousand Demon Palace in the distance, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the ancient patterns on the heavenly staff.

The staff suddenly emitted a faint hum, as if responding to something... Night dew still hung from the eaves of the Mystic Pavilion Inn as Zhang Sheng straightened the collar of his immortal robe. The Heavenly Horse remained at the Mystic Pavilion.

Suddenly, the sky outside the inn darkened. The Grand Void Demon Emperor arrived on a black cloud, his deep black robes fluttering in the wind.

"Immortal Envoy, please follow me." The Grand Void Demon Emperor's voice sounded as if it came from the Nine Netherworlds.

Holding the heavenly staff, Zhang Sheng noticed as they passed through layers of devilish clouds that three blood moons always hung in the Demon Realm's sky, dyeing the sea of clouds a dark red.

The majestic silhouette of the Ten Thousand Demon Palace appeared above the clouds. The demon guards in front of the palace gates were each over ten feet tall, with ghostly blue flames flickering in their eyes.

Inside the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, chilling Devilish Qi surged like a tide, and pitch-black demon runes flowed on the hall pillars, reflecting countless hideous demonic shadows.

The Demon Ancestor sat high upon the imperial throne, his dark gold demon robes billowing like a blood-colored abyss. His eyes were like lightning as he looked down.

Inside the hall, over a hundred Devil Emperors and tens of thousands of Demonic Lords were present, the Devilish Qi around them condensing into physical form.

Outside the hall, the Grand Void Demon Emperor announced loudly, "Immortal Realm Envoy, Zhang Sheng has arrived."

"Enter." The voice from inside the palace exploded like thunder, making Zhang Sheng's eardrums ache.

The main hall was even more magnificent than imagined. A thousand ink-jade pillars supported the dome, each entwined with reliefs of various Demonic Beasts.

The Demon Ancestor sat high on the imperial throne, his face hidden behind a twelve-tasseled crown, with only a pair of eyes that seemed capable of devouring heaven and earth visible.

Zhang Sheng said to the Demon Ancestor above, "Greetings, Demon Ancestor."

When Zhang Sheng bowed without kneeling, a pressure like a mountain's roar and a sea's surge suddenly erupted in the hall. His knees sank abruptly, but the tip of the heavenly staff immediately burst with clear light, opening a barrier in front of him.

"Why do you not kneel upon seeing the Demon Ancestor?" a purple-robed Devil Emperor shouted sternly.

Zhang Sheng said indifferently, "The Immortal and Demon paths are different. What am I bowing to, let alone kneeling?" The moment he said this, he felt countless malicious gazes piercing him like blades.

When the Demon Ancestor raised his hand, the hall immediately became silent.

Zhang Sheng took the opportunity to take out the Jade Slip, and the writing on the list suddenly appeared in the air, glowing with a faint golden light.

"One million Eternal Divine Herbs."

"Ten thousand Immortal Emperor Weapons."

"Ten quadrillion Supreme Grade demon spirit stones."

"Ten trillion High Grade demon spirit stones."

"One quadrillion Medium Grade demon spirit stones."

"One hundred quadrillion Low Grade demon spirit stones."

..."Regarding all realms surrounding the Demon Realm, the Demon Realm is not permitted to interfere further."

When he read "Regarding all realms outside the Demon Realm, the Demon Realm is not permitted to interfere further," a red-haired Devil Emperor directly crushed the armrest of his chair, the sound of shattered jade splashing on the floor being exceptionally crisp.

When the pressure struck again, it was ten times more violent than before.

The heavenly staff in Zhang Sheng's hand emitted an overburdened wail, and fine cracks appeared on its body.

Just as he was about to give way, a blinding light suddenly burst from his chest—the Heavenly Might Divine Talisman bestowed by the Celestial Emperor had automatically activated.

Golden light and Devilish Qi intertwined and collided in the hall, the space cracking like shattered glass.

Through the distorted air, Zhang Sheng saw the Demon Ancestor lightly press his right hand against the void, and the shattered space was immediately stitched back together by some invisible force.

By the time the talisman's power began to fade, Zhang Sheng's entire body was soaked in sweat.

The Demon Ancestor's voice suddenly pierced through the chaos: "All of you, stop." Those three simple words caused the boiling hall to instantly freeze. All the Devil Emperors withdrew their pressure simultaneously, as if the conflict just now had never occurred.

"Zhang Sheng," the Demon Ancestor's voice was low like muffled thunder, echoing in every inch of the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons, "go back and tell that brat, the Celestial Emperor—" a mocking smile curled at the corners of his mouth, "this seat will not compensate even a single stone."

Before his voice had even faded, the Demon Ancestor suddenly raised his hand. A terrifying pressure instantly swept through the entire scene, and the whole hall trembled as if unable to withstand his fury.

The Demon Ancestor's eyes were like torches as he shouted coldly, "If the Immortal Realm wants war, then let there be war. If you have the guts, then just come. This seat will meet you, and the Demon Realm will meet you."

Every word was as sharp as a blade, as if it could directly sever the spines of immortals and gods.

Zhang Sheng felt a tightness in his chest and nearly fell to his knees, but he still gritted his teeth to steady himself. Taking a deep breath, he said in a heavy voice, "In that case, I shall take my leave now."

He turned and left, his back straight, yet his pace was a few points faster than when he arrived.

"Your Majesty." A Devil Emperor suddenly stepped forward, killing intent boiling in his eyes. "Are we really going to let him leave safely? The Myriad Realms will laugh at our Demon Realm for being incompetent."

The Demon Ancestor only smiled coldly, his finger lightly tapping the armrest with a dull thud. "Kill him?" He snorted disdainfully. "A mere Immortal Lord, is he even worthy of this seat acting personally? He is nothing more than an ant sent by the Celestial Emperor to test us. If we kill him, the Myriad Realms will only say that my Demon Realm is ruthlessly cruel and only bullies the weak."

He slowly stood up, the Devilish Qi around him suddenly boiling. The pressure, like an abyss or a hell, made all the Devil Emperors involuntarily lower their heads.

"This seat's opponent is the Celestial Emperor, a supreme existence like the Emperor Sovereign." The Demon Ancestor's voice echoed in the hall with unquestionable authority. "Since when is an Immortal Lord worthy of making this seat angry? Let him scramble back and deliver the message—if the Immortal Realm truly has the courage, this seat wouldn't mind letting their bones cover the Demon Domain."

As his voice fell, the entire Hall of Ten Thousand Demons was silent, with only the Demon Ancestor's power enveloping everything like the sky collapsing.