Guarding the Prison for 100 Years, I Emerge to Overwhelm the Demon Venerable

North of the Great Xia, an endless range known as the Hundred Thousand Mountains sprawls across the land, exuding a vast, ancient aura.

The area is sparsely populated, with few living creatures.

Although on the maps of the Great Xia, this land still belongs to the dynasty’s territory.

In reality, however, once you cross a certain line within the mountains, you are no longer in the domain of the Great Xia.

That is the territory of the Demon Race.

Even a powerful Martial Artist from the Demon-slaying Bureau, chasing a Demon Fiend to this place, would pale and halt their pursuit if the fiend crossed into the Demon Race’s territory.

They would not dare venture deeper.

Of the seven major lineages of the Demon Race surrounding the Great Xia, five reside within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Among them, the Ten Thousand Beasts Celestial Palace, which rules over all demons, is also located here.

At this moment, the brilliant sun was rising in the sky, its light pouring down and making the air quite scorching.

Deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

A vast, ancient, and strangely shaped complex of palaces crouched in the depths of the mountains, like a ferocious Evil Beast lying in wait.

In a grand plaza filled with countless ancient totem pillars, demons of every shape and size had gathered.

Each of these demons was a Great Demon, Demon King, or even a Demon Venerable—beings whose very names would make people pale with fear in the outside world.

Now, they all stood here, the terrifying Demon Qi radiating from them converging into a massive, dense cloud of demonic energy in the sky, nearly obscuring the great sun.

The descending light grew considerably dimmer, as if stained with gray ink.

"WOOOO—"

At a certain moment, the desolate, ancient sound of a horn echoed forth, blown by a burly Wolf Demon whose muscles coiled around his frame like dragons.

It seemed some ancient ritual was taking place in the plaza. Every Great Demon wore a solemn expression, and the atmosphere was grave and formal.

Suddenly.

The immense power flowing through the Hundred Thousand Mountains was inexplicably stirred.

The ancient totem pillars standing in the plaza suddenly began to glow, their light growing ever brighter.

Then, the ancient pillars began to move slowly.

As they moved, they shot out dazzling beams of light.

The beams intertwined, gradually outlining a massive Array at the very front of the plaza.

The instant the Grand Array took shape, ripple-like waves began to slowly undulate in the empty space at its center.

As the void rippled, a silver-white portal gradually materialized.

Then, a figure in a blood-red robe slowly stepped out from the portal.

He appeared quite young, with thick black hair falling to his shoulders. His pupils were crimson red, and his build was exceptionally powerful.

His most prominent feature was a single golden horn on his head, about a foot long.

It looked as if it were carved from exquisite jade, and it radiated an unstoppably sharp aura of Geng Metal.

The moment he appeared.

It was as if all the light between heaven and earth gathered within his body.

The surrounding light, already dimmed, grew darker still.

A strange, silvery-white light flowed around him, making it seem as though the entire world was an illusion and he alone was real and alive.

A pillar of Demon Qi erupted from his body, soaring to the heavens.

In an instant, it completely overwhelmed the auras of all the assembled members of the Demon Race in the plaza.

As soon as this man appeared, all the demons gathered below fell to their knees in worship.

The leading Demon Kings’ faces showed deep reverence and fanaticism.

They kowtowed frantically to the red-robed young man before them, repeatedly crying out.

"We respectfully welcome the Celestial Nether Envoy!"

The red-robed young man opened his blood-red eyes and gave the assembled demons a cursory glance.

His gaze was filled with condescension.

From among the kneeling demons, an elder in a white coronet, with a sharp snout and protruding fangs, stepped forward.

Upon reaching the red-robed young man, he bowed deeply and said respectfully, "This humble demon pays his respects to the Celestial Nether Envoy!"

The red-robed young man swept his Divine Thoughts across the entire Ten Thousand Beasts Celestial Palace, then frowned. "Where is Chixiao? Why hasn’t he come to greet me?"

The white-coroneted elder replied, "The Seventh Demon Lord was plotted against and has unfortunately perished. It is for this very reason that we took the liberty of summoning you, Envoy."

"Chixiao is dead?"

A look of surprise appeared on the red-robed young man’s face. "In this remote backwater, there’s someone capable of killing Chixiao?"

"The man who did it was cunning!"

The white-coroneted elder said with indignation, then gave a rough account of what had happened.

After hearing the story, the red-robed young man understood.

"So he colluded with experts from the Demon Sect and even joined forces with the Second Prince, who was exiled by Emperor Yu."

"In that case, it’s no wonder he died."

The red-robed young man then asked, "And where is this person now?"

The white-coroneted elder quickly replied, "After murdering Lord Chixiao, that man turned around and joined forces with the Great Sect Elder of the Xia Dynasty to suppress the five lineages of the Demon Sect!"

"Right now, he’s hiding in a prison within the Great Xia Imperial City. He even has some title... the Lord of Heavenly Punishment."

"Heh..."

Hearing this title, the red-robed young man gave a soft chuckle, slightly intrigued.

He then nodded slightly. "I am aware of this matter now. I will make my own arrangements."

Then, he looked down at the kneeling, white-coroneted elder and spoke slowly.

"Chixiao is dead. From now on, you shall lead the Demon Race in this region."

Upon hearing this, a flash of immense joy crossed the elder’s face. He kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "This humble demon will obey all of the Lord Envoy’s arrangements."

"Mm."

The red-robed young man replied nonchalantly and said nothing more.

He gave his surroundings an indifferent glance, and with a sudden flicker, his entire body vanished from the world.

After the red-robed young man departed, the white-coroneted elder finally let out a long, heavy breath.

The terrifying pressure that had filled the air vanished in an instant, and the other Demon Kings rushed forward to congratulate him.

"Congratulations, Elder Ji, on succeeding to the position of Palace Master!"

"With the Envoy’s personal appointment, no one will dare defy your authority in the future, Elder Ji."

"With Elder Ji at the helm, our Ten Thousand Beasts Celestial Palace will surely reclaim its former glory!"

Elder Ji chuckled and stroked his beard, a look of self-satisfaction on his face.

Just then, a more forthright Demon King asked with confusion, "Previously, the Seventh Demon Lord allied with forces from the Demon Sect to go to the Great Xia and besiege that Lord of Heavenly Punishment."

"Elder Ji, why did you report the complete opposite to the Lord Envoy?"

Elder Ji shot him a glance and sneered. "If I reported the truth, wouldn’t that make our Ten Thousand Beasts Celestial Palace look incompetent?"

"Now that the Celestial Nether Envoy has descended, no matter how powerful that Lord of Heavenly Punishment is, he cannot escape death."

"As for the truth of the matter... is that important?"

"Making the Lord Envoy happy and increasing our standing and value in his eyes—that is what’s most important."

Upon hearing this, the other demons had a sudden realization. Filled with admiration, they began to loudly praise the elder’s wisdom.

Elder Ji basked in their flattery.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, immensely pleased with himself.

...

「Qishan Territory, beyond the borders of the Great Xia.」

Row upon row of majestic mountain peaks stood tall.

A vast, ancient presence permeated the air as snow and ice swirled about.

On a snow-dusted peak, a burly figure in a black robe sat cross-legged.

Even with his eyes closed.

A rampaging, ferocious aura emanated from him.

This man was none other than the Qishan Demon Lord, Hun.

At a certain moment, the Qishan Demon Lord, who had been cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes.

From his powerful, upright frame, a terrifying and peerless wave of Demon Qi erupted!

He stared intently in a certain direction, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

His voice boomed like a clap of thunder.

"Who is it? Show yourself!"

"It’s been so many years, yet your temper is as foul as ever..."

A long, drawn-out sigh seemed to come from all directions.

In the next instant, crimson ripples spread through the void.

A young man in a red robe with eerie, blood-red eyes slowly stepped out.

"It’s you!"

The Qishan Demon Lord was first stunned, but then his gaze turned cold, and his expression darkened. "With your status, you’d come to a remote place like this?"

His tone was tinged with mockery.

The red-robed young man, however, was unmoved. "A small incident occurred with the Demon Race in this area, so I came to take a look."

"And while I’m at it, I also want to take you back to Ancestral Demon Mountain."

"Back then, it was understandable that the Old Ancestor banished you. But your term is over now. It’s time for you to go back, isn’t it?"

"Go back?"

The Qishan Demon Lord sneered. "So many years we haven’t seen each other, and your hypocritical nature hasn’t changed one bit."

Hearing this, the smile on the red-robed young man’s face gradually faded.

He hadn’t intended to press the issue and was about to turn and leave.

But then, he inadvertently glanced at Hun’s forehead.

His gaze froze instantly!

Then, in a flash, he appeared right in front of Hun.

His blood-red eyes stared intently at Hun’s forehead.

His hands, heavy as mountains, gripped Hun’s shoulders tightly. His face was filled with a murderous aura as he spoke, enunciating each word.

"Why... is your horn... broken?"

The red-robed young man’s voice was utterly bone-chilling.

The intense killing intent radiating from him was so powerful it even affected the weather, causing the heavy snow falling on the peak to freeze in mid-air!

The Qishan Demon Lord remained silent, blood streaming from his shoulders where the white of his bones was now faintly visible.

For their clan, the single horn was, in some ways, even more important than their own lives.

Seeing his silence, the red-robed young man’s eyes grew even colder, more bloodthirsty.

In the next moment, the mountaintop where the two stood...

...exploded with a deafening roar, sending shattered rock flying!

A blizzard of energy spread out madly!

Endless white light submerged everything.

A deafening roar echoed between heaven and earth.

Shaking the world in all directions.

RUMBLE—

...

BOOM—

With a deafening beat of a drum on stage, the most famous theater troupe in the Imperial City began its astonishing performance.

Colorful flames nine-feet high spewed from the mouth of a large man performing on stage.

Below the stage, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but clap his hands in amazement.

"Tsk, tsk... What incredible skill!"

"Truly a great show!"

Beside him, Su Bai, however, looked away from the scene before him.

His gaze slowly drifted upward.

He watched the snowflakes drifting down from the sky.

He appeared lost in thought.