Chapter 845 - 840: Black Emperor’s Vanguard
Ding~
As the last spell lit up, Bai Pu glanced at Xiyuan Zhang, and lightly pressed his five fingers onto the array plate of the spell transmission array.
In an instant, white light illuminated the surroundings, and the strong ones within the Guardian Camp felt a force of suction, followed by a sense of weightlessness.
"Relax, don’t resist," Bai Pu said.
The Great and Small Witches and other Awakened received a message from the Spirit Realm Will:
[You are about to begin teleportation, target location: Black Heaven Abyss. Do you agree?]
Everyone chose to agree.
And the moment the white light appeared, Beiming Jihu had already made his move.
A sword gesture pointed into the void, and a phantom of a mountain suddenly pressed down, as if tangible, bending Xiyuan Zhang’s spine.
On both sides, Dongbo Chengzhi and Zhu Que acted simultaneously. A gentle wind rope and a serpentine flame sword qi tightly bound Xiyuan Zhang.
The gentle wind rope even seeped into his body, sealing Xiyuan Zhang’s critical meridians.
Xiyuan Zhang was not weak himself, but most of his abilities lay with his Demon Slaves. Facing the combined forces of three leaders from the Guardian Camp, he had no power to resist and was thus restrained.
Having lost his ability to resist, the Demon Control Masters from the Xiyuan Clan were also unwilling to abandon Xiyuan Zhang, so they all relaxed their bodies to accept the teleportation.
Swish, swish, swish!
The white light flickered, rays shot towards the sky, disappearing from their original place.
...
At Black Heaven Abyss, before the water curtain passage of Black Heaven Palace.
"It’s true, it’s really the Black Heaven Abyss!"
"We’ve returned to the Black Heaven Palace, which means... Xiyuan Zhang deliberately didn’t activate the spell transmission array."
"Could it be that Master Xiyuan Zhang is indeed a demon traitor?"
The coalition experts whispered among themselves.
"Xiyuan Zhang, tell us. Why is this happening?" Beiming Jihu said lightly.
Xiyuan Zhang was tied up like a twist, yet he still refused to relent, merely snorting: "I was careless for a moment, misremembered the order of spell activation! Why is my occasional mistake considered evidence of being a demon traitor? Can a person not ever make mistakes? Does a single carelessness mean one is a demon traitor?"
At this moment, Zhu Que and others felt that Xiyuan Zhang was likely arguing senselessly.
But could there be a small probability that what Xiyuan Zhang said is true?
At least the Demon Control Masters from the Xiyuan Clan who followed along still chose to believe.
They really couldn’t believe their Patriarch would betray humanity and side with demons.
A Lord Level Demon Control Master from the Xiyuan Clan spoke passionately:
"Ever since the assembly of the Four Great Oaths, it was our Patriarch who led. The surprise attack on the Crystal Throne, the destruction of the Land of Crystals, our Patriarch played an indispensable part! How do you explain a demon traitor siding with humanity and destroying Emperor Yan’s stronghold?"
For a moment, the strong ones of the Guardian Camp were rendered speechless.
"What is your name?" Bai Pu suddenly asked.
That Lord Level Demon Control Master was slightly taken aback, and resolutely said: "Xiyuan Lin!"
"Judging from your breathing, heartbeat, and expression, you seem unaware of the inside story, still considered a member of the Guardian Camp. Alright, let me try to analyze the inside story."
Bai Pu looked at Xiyuan Zhang and slowly said: "The time when Patriarch Xiyuan became a demon traitor shouldn’t be long. Moreover, I can guess whom he pledged allegiance to... It should be the Black Emperor, right? You’re the Black Emperor’s vanguard!"
Xiyuan Zhang trembled slightly, then firmly denied: "Nonsense! How could I be the Black Emperor’s vanguard?!"
Bai Pu said calmly: "During the assembly at the Scorched Earth Ruins, in the leadership meeting, I noticed your abnormality... Do you remember? You mentioned ’the four sources of demonic power of the Black Heaven Shell’.
"Emperor Qing controlling ’the root of the Galo Ancient Tree’, Emperor Yan controlling ’the Land of Crystals’ as a source of demonic power, I believe that.
"That after the Red Emperor’s death and dormancy, the ’Crimson Earth Vein’ source of demonic power went out of control, I also believe that.
"But you said the Yellow Springs Belt in the Eternal Night Dark Sea is the Black Emperor’s source of demonic power..."
Bai Pu shook his head, "I don’t believe it."
"Why don’t you believe it?" Xiyuan Zhang questioned.
"Actually, just the Black Emperor’s demons’ attitude towards the Yellow Springs Belt reveals a hint."
Bai Pu said calmly, "When we launched a surprise attack on the Shadow Island Chain, the Yellow Springs Belt was not given importance by the Seven Demon Generals.
"Moreover, the key point is, when I broke through the Profound Water Palace, I sensed something unusual in its underground... A dormant consciousness similar to the root of the Galo Ancient Tree is hiding beneath the Profound Water Palace.
"Therefore, the source of demonic power controlled by the Black Emperor is not in the Yellow Springs Belt, but beneath the Profound Water Palace! This is something I’m quite certain about.
"However, as the demons were rushing back to the Profound Water Palace at the time, I didn’t have ample time to explore, so I had to leave."
Rein quietly nudged Leia: "Did you notice anything unusual at that time?"
Leia shook her head silently.
Rein sighed with a wry smile: "Gangxin clearly noticed the anomaly at the Profound Water Palace, yet his face showed no ripple, and he even fooled us."
Over here, upon listening to Bai Pu’s explanation, Xiyuan Zhang couldn’t help but squint: "Gangxin, did you doubt me from that time?"
Bai Pu stared at Xiyuan Zhang: "Patriarch Xiyuan, the first piece of information you gave me was false... How could I not keep an eye on you? Later, whether it was seeking the Xiyuan Clan’s Demon-Control Secret Technique or quietly noting your process of setting up the spell transmission array, it was all out of a need for precaution.
"Furthermore, the Xiyuan Clan’s expedition team took a big hit in Black Stone Canyon, losing more than half... I always wondered if some external force, like a large group of Fallen Wild Warriors (Awakened), joined under Emperor Yan."
"But during the offensive on the Land of Crystals, there was no sign of the Fallen Wild Warriors, and the Demon Generals under Emperor Yan were as mindless and reckless as usual. So, that ambush in Black Stone Canyon was actually you and the Black Emperor betraying the expedition team, wasn’t it?"
This time, even the expression of Xiyuan Lin changed, as incredulous gazes turned towards Xiyuan Zhang.
Bai Pu continued: "As for why you led us to destroy Emperor Yan’s Land of Crystals... It should have been on the Black Emperor’s orders. He wanted to use the numerous experts of the Guardian Camp to help him destroy the source of Emperor Yan’s demonic power! With this, both Emperor Yan and Emperor Qing would lose their sources of demonic power, and with the Red Emperor in dormancy, the Black Emperor could gain a significant advantage and dominate the Black Heaven Palace!"
Xiyuan Zhang trembled all over.
The Demon Control Masters of the Xiyuan Clan also realized the great suspicion surrounding the Patriarch, making it difficult to defend him anymore.
At this moment, a sinister voice sounded from within Xiyuan Zhang’s body.
"Enough, Xiyuan Zhang. The task I gave you, you’ve completed half of it..."
With that voice, a surge of demonic power flew out from Xiyuan Zhang’s body, first forming the shape of the Demon Ghost "Hundred Eyes", then slowly fading into a mysterious black shadow.
"Black Emperor!" many exclaimed in shock.
The reason was simple; this spiritual pressure far exceeded what a Demon General Level expert should possess, something only a Demon Emperor would have.