Chapter Ninety-Nine: History Part Two

The old man led Li Ju to a half-collapsed palace suspended in midair, several dozen meters above the ground.

“No one knows the cause of this demonic catastrophe. By the time the people of Pusa Kingdom realized it, it had already descended,” the old man said. He stomped his foot, and the ground beneath them transformed into a raised platform that slowly ascended toward the floating palace.

“The earth cracked open, countless demonic portals appeared, and from these portals surged demonic energy. Within just three days, this energy enveloped tens of thousands of miles around Pusa Kingdom. Every living creature—people, insects, beasts—once exposed to the demonic energy, was instantly transformed. Only martial artists who had cultivated internal strength beyond the inner realm could resist this corruption.”

“But it didn’t stop there. Alongside the demonic energy pouring from the portals came countless demonic creatures. Some were as weak as external martial artists, while the strongest could rival those at the Great San Yuan realm. Among them were seven supreme demons who called themselves the True Demons.”

The platform moved until it connected with the floating palace. The old man stepped off first, followed by Li Ju.

“The other demons were manageable, but those seven True Demons were overwhelmingly powerful. Even martial artists at the Great San Yuan realm stood no chance against them.”

“In those three days—while the demonic energy completely covered Pusa Kingdom’s borders—the seven True Demons annihilated everything in the once prosperous kingdom. Countless Great San Yuan martial artists died in battle. Everything was destroyed by these True Demons.”

“Including myself—I was killed by one of them,” the old man said calmly.

Inside the palace, they entered a vast hall nearly ten meters high. A central corridor stretched through the middle, flanked on both sides by rows of stone statues seven or eight meters tall, covered in dust and many cracked or broken.

“Before I died, I entrusted a fragment of my consciousness to the Solar Crown Pearl. Using its divine power, I continued to observe the world.”

“But to my surprise, after Pusa Kingdom’s downfall, the True Demons did not continue their invasion, nor did the demonic energy spread further. For a thousand years since the kingdom’s destruction, the ancient lands shrouded by demonic energy have remained eerily calm.”

“Unfortunately, to prevent the True Demons from seizing the Solar Crown Pearl, I dared not use it to enter the demonic energy’s reach and pursue the truth further.”

The old man reached a large stone door and gently pushed it open.

“Two hundred years after Pusa Kingdom’s fall, I suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation of demonic energy in a once marginal border state called Chen Kingdom.”

“There, I discovered a man named Mo Jaren who founded the Demon Sect. He created the Eight Great Demonic Arts and the Demon Body cultivation method. The faint demonic energy I sensed came from those who had forged the Demon Body.”

Beyond the door was a massive altar, above which hovered a ball of white flames.

---

“But when I tried to investigate Mo Jaren and the Demon Sect further, it seemed Mo Jaren discovered me. He did not engage in prolonged conflict but sealed me and threw me into the Great Oasis.”

“Until you appeared before the Solar Crown Pearl. Using the faint demonic energy within your demon body, I was able to break free from the seal and return to the world.”

The old man stopped at the altar’s center.

“Is Jaren Tian the same person as Mo Jaren?” Li Ju asked, breaking the silence.

“Maybe yes, maybe no. I’m not certain,” the old man replied, shaking his head.

“Whose tomb is the Mirror Lake ancient mausoleum? Why do the Solar Crown Pearl and the bloodline of the Water City royal family serve as keys to open its gates?” Li Ju fired another series of questions.

“The Mirror Lake mausoleum belongs to a former king of Pusa Kingdom. The Solar Crown Pearl, as a heritage artifact, is the key to unlocking the tombs of Pusa’s kings through the ages. As for needing the Water City royal blood, that’s merely a fabricated step they added themselves—it has no real effect,” the old man answered carefully.

“What exactly is the Demon Body of the Demon Sect, and what are they scheming in secret?” Li Ju pressed on.

“I don’t know. I was sealed by Mo Jaren as soon as I began investigating the Demon Sect.”

“However, judging by my recent observations of your body, the Demon Body likely works by allowing demonic energy to spontaneously arise within you, strengthening your flesh and blood, gradually transforming your physical structure to resemble that of a demon.”

The old man paused thoughtfully before continuing.

“What is this space where we stand?”

“This is a consciousness space I opened using the Solar Crown Pearl. It doesn’t exist physically anywhere in the world.”

“Is the Seven-Three Sect connected to you?”

“When I first detected anomalies in the Demon Sect, I guided several warriors from Chen Kingdom to establish sects to help me investigate. The Seven-Three Sect you mentioned was one of them.”

---

“What realm does Mo Jaren’s power belong to?”

“I’m not sure, but at least the Great San Yuan realm.”

“One last question,” Li Ju said, locking eyes with the old man. “Why did you bring me here?”

“You are special.”

“Within the Demon Sect, every person who forges the Demon Body is under Mo Jaren’s control. Only those who receive his permission and cultivate the Slaughtering Scripture, serving as sect leaders, can successfully form the Demon Body.”

“As for others, even if they form the basic Poison-Resistant Vajra Body, they become mindless poison carriers, controlled by other secret cultivation methods of the Demon Sect or simply die suddenly.”

“Though the Demon Sect claims the Poison-Resistant Vajra Body is flawed due to the technique or constitution, this is merely Mo Jaren’s restriction. Anyone cultivating the Slaughtering Scripture can overcome all flaws and refine the Poison-Resistant Vajra Body, then forge the Demon Body.”

“But you broke free from this control and independently forged the Demon Body. Can you tell me how you did it?”

The old man looked at Li Ju expectantly.

Li Ju fell silent. He couldn’t very well say he succeeded because of the peculiar nature of his “interface.” He wasn’t that foolish.

“If you want to know why I brought you here...” Seeing Li Ju’s silence, the old man spoke again.

“It’s for a legacy...”

“The legacy of Pusa Kingdom.”