Chapter 129: Source Divine Ability Engraved!

Chapter 129: Engraving the Primordial Divine Ability!

A flicker of surprise passed through the Venerable One's eyes.

The scene within the ancient mirror was beyond her comprehension.

Even now, she could not understand how the Blood Lord had managed to walk out of the Myriad Demon Gate.

Even she, upon entering the Myriad Demon Gate, would have become a great demon.

How had the Blood Lord… managed to emerge?

At that moment, Ning Tao felt an inexplicable pang in her heart.

She could not help but recall that day, outside the City of No Return, when she had seen that blood-red robe.

A coincidence?

The scene shifted again.

On Nine Coil Mountain, a gaudy little bird fluttered its wings and landed beside a drop of blood.

Curiosity filled the bird's eyes.

And the story continued.

"I am a canary—beautiful, aren't I? This young lady is the foremost beauty of Nine Coil Mountain!"

"You, this round little thing, I shall call you… Blood Bead."

"You left without a word, but this young lady will not go looking for you, nor will she miss you!"

"Blood Bead, it's raining…"

If the earlier scenes were like a mournful ballad in a snowy winter field,

the current scenes were like a drizzling spring rain, fresh yet tinged with a faint melancholy.

"Blood Bead, you're back!"

"Blood Bead, you're amazing! Go tell everyone that in the Eighteen Mountains, the canary is the foremost beauty!"

"He is not a great demon; he will not die!"

"This young lady will trust you, just this once!"

"How do I enter the Myriad Demon Gate…"

The girl departed from the Myriad Demon Gate, and on her face—once her pride, often preened—was carved the character "Demon."

"I'm so clumsy, I can't even paint my makeup properly… so ugly…"

"Am I very ugly? Why won't you come see me?"

The scene came to an abrupt halt.

Ning Tao pressed her hand to her left cheek, where a sharp pain throbbed.

Countless memories surged into her mind like a tidal wave.

A thousand years, ten thousand years—an endless torrent of memories.

There were whispers of Blood Bead in her ear, and the cold, ruthless sword stroke of that blood-red robe.

She remembered.

She… was the foremost beauty of Nine Coil Mountain, the canary.

Blood Bead, the childhood sweetheart she most admired.

Life after life, reincarnations within the illusion.

She had entered the Myriad Demon Gate, watching from the sidelines as Blood Bead sank into the illusion, constantly trying to awaken him.

"Blood Bead…" Ning Tao pressed her hand to her face, her heart inexplicably hesitant.

She recalled that day, outside the City of No Return, the tenderness in the eyes of that blood-robed figure.

"Do you know the canary? She is a very proud, very vain girl. I have been searching for her."

At that moment, a smile curled at the corners of the Venerable One's lips. She looked at Ning Tao and asked, "Demon woman, you remember all your memories now, don't you? Do you hate the great demon now?"

She seemed to care deeply about this.

Ning Tao lifted her head and stared coldly at her. "He is not a great demon!"

Blood Bead had said so; she was not a great demon!

She believed it!

Even if, in the illusion, she saw him slaughtering all beings, saw him driving his sword into her again and again,

she still believed—he was not a great demon.

The world called him a great demon, but the canary knew he was merely her childhood sweetheart, no one else.

"Haha, another one who deceives herself." Shang Yanran laughed, then turned to Bai Ze. "We are husband and wife, and they are my junior brother and sister. I am willing to spare them, but… the demon woman, I must kill, or else… take her away."

Shang Yanran exuded a terrifying aura, enough to unsettle even a Great Sovereign.

The seven experts behind her also stepped forward, pressing down on Bai Ze.

"This time… no one can save you, demon woman." Shang Yanran's eyes gleamed with cold light. "Only by eliminating the demon woman and eliminating the great demon can this realm truly find peace.

Bai Ze… will you truly stand in my way?

Can you stop me?

Or will you, for the sake of personal feelings, disregard all living beings under heaven?"

Shang Yanran's body radiated a terrifying presence.

The demon woman—she had to take her.

In the past, believing the Blood Lord was dead, she had merely let the Northern Demon Thirteen roam freely, treating them as pawns.

But recently, her avatar in the mortal world had detected a trace of the Blood Lord's aura.

Thus, the canary must be kept under her control.

In this life, her greatest covet was Bai Ze, and now, there was also the Blood Lord.

Bai Ze looked at Shang Yanran, a moment of hesitation in his eyes, before he said, "She is not a demon woman. Even if she were, that was in the cycle before last.

If you wish to take her away, you must first ask me!"

"Today, no one… will stop me!" Shang Yanran's face twisted into a snarl.

No matter who came today, she would take the canary away!

The White Emperor was desolate.

Shang Yanran was right.

He could not stop her.

Shang Yanran's avatar, along with those seven experts, could easily take Ning Tao away.

Even if his master came, he likely could not stop Shang Yanran.

This matter... has become an unsolvable deadlock.

...

Within the underground palace.

Qi Yuan closed his eyes, comprehending the primal divine ability.

Ten years had passed.

His understanding deepened, yet he could never truly inscribe it, nor could the Great Oblivion Heart Sutra reach the level of subtlety.

"Oblivion... what have I forgotten?"

He pondered bitterly, but gained nothing.

Suddenly, a fragmented voice sounded in his ears.

"Blood beads..."

"Blood beads..."

The voice was mournful, tinged with helplessness.

Qi Yuan’s heart leaped abruptly, as if he saw the Golden Canary, face streaked with tears, eyes red, stubbornly lifting her head, gazing at him in despair.

Countless images surged into his mind like an avalanche.

He saw himself trapped in the Great Demon’s cycle, slaughtering all beings along its path.

He saw himself walking through the desert in a blood-red robe, a faceless figure chasing from behind, pierced through by his sword.

He saw himself bound to a stone pillar, suffering the torment of ten thousand flames, and that figure rushed forward without hesitation to share the endless agony with him.

He saw that figure holding him, leaping without a moment’s doubt into the rolling magma.

He saw himself wounding that figure again and again, yet she remained unwavering, seeking him out in every life, accompanying him, standing against the entire world.

In the illusion, that figure was real, not a figment of his imagination.

He understood—that figure was the Golden Canary.

"Golden Canary..."

The endless illusions were like repeated cycles.

Those... were illusions, the life of the Great Demon.

Originally, entering the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, he had experienced the Great Demon’s life.

The Golden Canary broke in, trying to awaken him.

"I remember."

All the images dissolved into boundless emotion.

In Qi Yuan’s eyes, a trace of pity appeared.

And also a hint of irritation.

His desire to see the Golden Canary grew more urgent.

"After she sank into the illusion with me... where is she?"

Countless emotions erupted within Qi Yuan’s body.

The Void Realm Sovereign’s Heart Demon Guide seemed ready to burst forth, uncontrollable.

As Qi Yuan recalled everything that happened within the Gate of Ten Thousand Differences, the Great Oblivion Heart Sutra, at this moment, fully entered the level of subtlety.

Qi Yuan’s heart was a mix of emotions, heavy with self-blame and pity.

He forced himself to calm down.

"Why did I hear the Golden Canary’s voice..."

It was only after hearing her voice that he recalled all his memories.

Why did he hear it? That was crucial.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, Qi Yuan’s ears could pick up strange sounds.

Before entering this game, he had heard Ning Tao’s voice.

Where was the source of that voice?

And where was the Golden Canary?

Who... was she now?

Suddenly, a voice, aggrieved and tearful, fell into his ears.

"Am I so ugly? Why won’t you come see me?"

The Golden Canary’s voice struck his ears like a thunderbolt.

Qi Yuan suddenly remembered.

On Seven-Colored Peak, he had heard Ning Tao’s murmurs in her dreams: "Am I so ugly? Why won’t you come see me?"

Such sleep-talk, he had heard more than once.

Back then, he always dismissed it as a joke, even mocking Ning Tao for being a Supreme yet talking in her sleep.

During the Ten-Thousand-Mile Deathmatch, Ning Tao, carrying a blood orb, fought the Great Supreme.

As night fell, she curled up like a kitten, with Qi Yuan guarding beside her.

He had also heard Ning Tao’s tearful sleep-talk.

He understood!

He understood completely!

Ning Tao was the Golden Canary.

On Ning Tao’s face was carved the word "Demon."

The Thirteen Demons of the North, hated by heaven and loathed by men. In the eyes of the world, she was a hideous freak.

The Golden Canary, who loved beauty so much, had become a "demon" despised by all, seen as the ugliest monster.

How could she bear such pain?

How could she endure, in the illusion, his sword thrust after sword thrust?

Back then, under the influence of the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, he had fallen into the Great Demon’s life path, slaughtering all beings like the Demon.

But unlike the Demon, someone had always been waiting for him.

"Golden Canary... Ning Tao..."

A vast aura swept through his body, and the sky above No-Return City turned blood-red in that moment.

Qi Yuan had found the path to inscribe the Void Realm Sovereign’s Heart Demon Guide.

Within the barrier, the White Emperor’s avatar was imprisoned by Shang Yanran.

The seven supreme beings also advanced toward the Thirteen Demons of the North, closing in on Ning Tao.

Shang Yanran's lips curled into a faint smile: "In days past, the Blood Lord shielded you. Today... who is left to protect you?"

Ning Tao stared at Shang Yanran, her eyes brimming with a dense, murderous intent.

Yet at that very moment, a raspy voice, heavy with boundless self-reproach, echoed through the air.

"Canary, I am late."

"Forgive me, I failed to recognize you."

The chains gripped tightly in Canary's hands trembled violently at this instant.

From that sphere of bloody flesh, various terrifying auras began to emanate.

Beholding the mass of blood, a sliver of astonishment crossed Shang Yanran's eyes: "The Blood Lord? No, you are merely a single drop of the Blood Lord's blood!"

Long ago, when the Blood Lord entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, he had severed his own arm and left it by Canary's side.

Later, the Blood Lord perished within the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, and only a solitary drop of blood managed to fly out.

The sphere of blood before them was that very drop from the Blood Lord!

Ning Tao's slender silhouette trembled in this moment; she clutched the chains tightly and cast a glance at the blood-colored mass of flesh, a single look that seemed to span across oceans and changing epochs, as if a single glance held ten thousand years.

She had finally seen him again—the one she had yearned for and dreamed of through endless eons.

The blood-red mass of flesh condensed at this instant, shaping itself into a figure clad in a blood-colored robe.

"Blood Bead!" She threw her arms around the blood-colored robe, holding him tightly.

Just as she had done when the great fire spread back then, embracing him without a shred of hesitation to be buried together in the sea of flames.

Shang Yanran maintained the trace of a smile on her lips: "Truly a tragic and soul-stirring tale. Great Demon... you have finally deigned to show yourself."

Qiyuan, wrapped in the blood-colored robe, looked at Shang Yanran, a cold sneer surfacing at the corner of his mouth: "Today, you shall die!"

Upon hearing this, Shang Yanran’s smile grew even wider: "Let alone a mere drop of your blood, even if your true body were to grace this place in person, it would not necessarily match this avatar of mine.

Furthermore, can your true body even come here right now?"

Canary gripped Qiyuan’s arm with desperate intensity.

The White Emperor looked at Qiyuan, his eyes shimmering with excitement, for he had never expected to behold his revered master at such a time: "Master, unless you have attained the Sixth Realm, you must not come to this place!

Shang Yanran has obtained the Tablet of Destiny; she is no longer herself!"

Shang Yanran smiled radiantly.

A mere drop of blood could not even scratch a Sovereign.

By what right could he wrest Ning Tao from her grasp?

"Great Demon, I am taking Canary with me today. If you wish to see her, let your true body seek me out within the Palace of Ten Thousand Demons!"

Qiyuan's expression grew incredibly calm, his prior endless self-reproach and guilt transmuting into a surging tide of murderous intent.

"A single drop of blood suffices to slay you!"

Following Qiyuan's voice, a horrifying transformation erupted within the figure condensed from his drop of blood.

The Blood of the Divine Soul!

The Blood of the Divine Soul that had plummeted from the Great Void was now unleashed by Qiyuan at this very instant.

The Blood of the Divine Soul obtained from the Old Demon Black Chicken could parasitize a treasure.

It could condense that treasure into a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure.

What kind of treasure could possibly be more precious than a drop of his own blood?

This was a drop of blood from a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!

At this moment, Qiyuan condensed himself into a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure.

As the Blood of the Divine Soul descended, Qiyuan’s blood underwent a tremendous alteration.

He cast a glance at Canary: "Wait for me!"

Once he transformed into a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure, his consciousness would no longer be able to descend upon this place.

The figure in the blood-colored robe shifted continuously.

Engraving!

Within the City of No Return.

Qiyuan let out a thunderous roar.

He finally understood why he had been unable to engrave his innate divine ability.

Within the illusion, he had severed an arm, forgetting the consciousness forced upon him by the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons—the consciousness that he was the Great Demon.

That arm had turned into a drop of blood.

That drop of blood was the endless, boundless demonic affliction, the Great Demon, the root of all demonic bane.

Only that drop of blood truly matched the innate divine ability of the Void Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Beacon.

He was going to engrave this divine ability onto that Divine Soul Dharma Treasure!

Within the barrier, the blood-colored robed figure had already vanished from sight.

Deep sorrow and reluctance filled Ning Tao's eyes.

The blood-colored robed figure had, at this moment, transformed into a seductive, blood-red longsword.

A glint of greed flickered in Shang Yanran's eyes: "Turning oneself into a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure—what a sophisticated method.

If a ordinary Sovereign were to wield this sword, it could even wound a Grand Sovereign!

Regrettably, such a sword can only be considered clever. Let alone killing me, it cannot even harm me!"

As Shang Yanran's words fell, another bizarre mutation erupted upon the blood-red longsword.

Greed, lust, arrogance...

A myriad of distinct auras radiated from the blade.

Within the entire barrier, including the White Emperor, everyone felt their minds grow unsettled.

They looked at that blood-red longsword, a look of astonishment appearing in their eyes for the first time.

"An innate divine ability!" Shang Yanran's eyes widened. "You actually engraved an innate divine ability upon a sword! You... you truly are... willing to part with it!"

To engrave an innate divine ability onto a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure was practically unheard of.

Yet Shang Yanran knew it was entirely possible.

"Blood Lord, haha... this move of yours indeed catches me by surprise.

However, by engraving your innate divine ability onto a Divine Soul Dharma Treasure,

Your true body... is essentially ruined!

Bereft of your innate divine ability, your true body could be slaughtered by even an ordinary Sovereign!" Shang Yanran laughed uproariously.

In her heart, her estimation of the Blood Lord sank even lower.

Any cultivator who was so easily blinded by emotion could never achieve anything truly great.

"I've come just to see how strong your original divine ability really is!"

Even facing the Blood Lord's original divine ability, Shang Yanran showed no fear!

After all, her cultivation had reached the limit of this world.

If she broke through further... something terrible would happen.

All her schemes would come to nothing.

Ning Tao held the blood-colored longsword, her figure rising at this moment.

Gripping the sword, she felt a connection as if it were part of her own blood.

"This strike is called 'Heart Demon Summoning of the Void Realm's Sovereign'!"

Ning Tao stepped forward, like a peerless female swordsman.

After so many years, she could finally fight side by side with the blood bead.

"Die!"

With one slash, endless blood energy spread, filling the entire barrier.

Greed, arrogance, gluttony... all kinds of emotions sprang forth.

The faces of the seven powerful figures finally showed signs of shock.

Shang Yanran's eyes revealed an incredulous expression: "Heart demon? Great demon? How is that possible!"

How could he truly be a great demon!

Such an original divine ability could not be condensed.

Only a great demon, once a Buddha, could condense it.

Because all demons in the mortal world are the origin of the great demon.

What was going on?

Shang Yanran's eyes showed a moment of bewilderment, then she chuckled softly.

A true great demon... that made things even more interesting!

With one strike, the seven powerful figures behind Shang Yanran, like fragile porcelain dolls, merely glanced at the sword and cracks appeared on their bodies.

They howled and wept incessantly, as if falling into an endless demon realm.

The seven supreme beings could not even withstand a single sword strike.

On Shang Yanran's back, a pure white demon crawled out.

That demon was different from all the others.

There was no fear in its eyes; it smiled and said, "Blood Lord, this time you have the upper hand. I'll gift you this clone.

But without your original divine ability, what is there to fear?

I will wait for you in the Ten Thousand Demon Gate!

If you don't enter quickly, the canary... will fall into my hands."

With her words, Shang Yanran struck herself with a palm, killing this body.

After all, if that sword strike continued, it could harm her true body through the clone.

Shang Yanran's clone dissipated at that moment.

The seven powerful figures, struck by this sword, had their heart demons break through their bodies and perished.

A single, simple sword strike had slain eight powerful beings.

The members of the Northern Demon Thirteen Demons looked at each other in bewilderment.

What had happened today was utterly beyond their expectations.

Meanwhile, the White Emperor stared at the blood-colored longsword, his eyes filled with shock and a trace of sorrow.

Such a sword strike stirred endless heart demons.

Was his master... truly a great demon?

If so...

He did not know how to face it.

Ning Tao's small hand tightly gripped the longsword, a forced smile on her pale little face: "Blood bead... the illusions were all false."

All the pain was caused by the curse of the ten thousand demons after entering the Ten Thousand Demon Gate.

The blood bead drawing the sword to slay was nothing but a delusion.

(The chapter ends)