Chapter 463: Turns Out There Are Other Outer Realm Demons Besides the Executor of Karma
“So you’re saying the new Demon King is a gourd, and from your world?” Lance found this somewhat unbelievable.
He had originally thought Lord Jiang Li was about equal in strength to the Demon King, but judging from their current relationship, Lord Jiang Li was clearly stronger than both the Demon King and the demon generals.
Just how massive was the thigh he had latched onto?
As they conversed, the group headed toward the elven forest. Li Er felt as if he had arrived in the Immortal Realm, his body light as a feather.
The only downside was that instead of worshipping the mighty Li Er, the elves found him terrifying.
Li Er felt he had sacrificed too much in his quest to find the gods and uncover the truth.
Next time he visited the Beast Nation, he would definitely show his gentle side to the beastfolk.
Li Er gazed kindly at the unicorn. Although he had defeated it and made it aware of the gap between them, his fighting style had been honorable, not humiliating the unicorn too badly. Surely the unicorn must hold some goodwill toward him.
The shapeshifted unicorn retained her horn – a beautiful mature woman with white hair and emerald eyes who stood out even among the handsome elves.
The unicorn kept feeling there was something odd about Li Er’s gaze.
Why was the demon general’s look so different when she was in human form versus her true form?
“The original Demon King was extremely powerful, roughly at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage – the strongest being in this world. The so-called Light God was no match for him,” explained the Wishful Gourd as it shared its gathered intelligence.
As the new Demon King, the Wishful Gourd had the most authority in this world.
Truthfully, the gourd hadn’t been Demon King for long – just a few days since Jiang Li brought back the Yin-Yang Heaven Seal and used the system to purchase the immortal artifact that retrieved it.
By this calculation, the Wishful Gourd had only been Demon King of the Ayla World for less than three days.
Its extensive knowledge came mainly from the old Demon King’s good habit – keeping a diary.
Through reading the diary, the Wishful Gourd had learned many of this world’s secrets.
“The Human Sovereign has likely read the Scripture of Light. Most of what it says is correct, with only some discrepancies from reality.”
“For example, the Light God wasn’t the original deity. The conflict between the three races and the demon tribe dates back much further, with the three races consistently at a disadvantage until the appearance of the seven deities including the Light God gave them the means to restrain the Demon King.”
“The seven deities including the Light God are only at the Unity Stage. Their ability to oppose the Demon King stems entirely from faith power.”
“When the three races’ faith empowers the Light God, he gains the qualifications to battle the Demon King.”
“The Demon King wasn’t seriously injured, nor were the seven deities sealed – both sides were essentially putting on an act.”
During the Nine Provinces council meeting, the Wishful Gourd dared suggest bringing the Joyous Sect to this world precisely because this world’s strongest being – the Demon King – had perished in a calamity. Even against an empowered Light God, the gourd could easily protect the Joyous Sect’s female cultivators.
Moreover, protecting them might earn their favor.
Unfortunately, under Yu Yin’s adamant insistence, the Joyous Sect never came – instead they got Li Er who needed no protection at all.
The Wishful Gourd deliberately flew slower to bump into the Elven Queen’s ample bosom.
The Elven Queen had no choice but to cradle the gourd.
Li Er continued the gourd’s explanation: “The Demon King himself was a supreme expert nearing ascension. The Ayla World had produced ascendants before – like the Frost Giant progenitor from ancient legends.”
“The Demon King’s power approached that progenitor’s, making him confident he could ascend too. But with the Celestial Ascension Ladder severed, how could ascension be possible?”
“That’s when the Demon King encountered an Outer Realm Demon called Executor of Honghu, who demonstrated power that convinced the Demon King completely.”
Jiang Li yanked the Wishful Gourd from the Elven Queen’s embrace and casually tossed it onto a tree branch. “I thought the Executor of Karma was the only Outer Realm Demon. Turns out there are others.”
Li Er nodded: “I thought the same.”
“The Executor of Honghu told the Demon King he came from the Immortal Realm.”
“How laughable – an Outer Realm Demon claiming to be from the Immortal Realm. The audacity!” Li Er chuckled at the absurdity of the introduction.
“The Executor said the Demon King lacked two things for ascending.”
“First, entering the Immortal Realm required complete rebirth. The Demon King bore too much karma slowing his ascension. To ascend, he must first sever worldly connections and reduce external interactions.”
“This explained why the old Demon King never left the demon castle and rarely communicated.”
“Second, the Demon King’s power remained insufficient. He needed to accumulate more energy, yet couldn’t leave the castle. What then?”
“The Executor helpfully suggested a solution – teaching him a life-force absorbing array.”
“Whenever adventurers and monsters died battling in dungeons, the Demon King would benefit regardless of which side perished. He installed these arrays in every dungeon.”
“But the Demon King never realized the gains were pitiful. After over a millennium, his power had only progressed from mid to late Tribulation Transcendence Stage. At this rate, he’d need another seven to eight centuries to qualify for the Ascension Tribulation.”
“Even then, surviving the tribulation would be against all odds. The Wishful Gourd could kill him just by unleashing a Yin Soldier Tribulation – one of the weakest heavenly trials. In Nine Provinces history, no one has ever failed at just the Yin Soldier Tribulation.”
As someone who’d survived an Ascension Tribulation, Li Er was quite knowledgeable.
Excluding Jiang Li as an anomaly, the Nine Provinces cultivator with most tribulation experience was Venerable Sumeru Buddha (three times), followed by Commander Liu (twice).
Both Li Er and Bai Hongtu had survived one Ascension Tribulation, while Sword Sovereign and Yu Yin hadn’t yet reached that standard.
“I suspect the Executor’s array wasn’t what it seemed. If the Demon King gained so little energy, where did the rest go?”
“Most importantly, I found arrays in the demon castle that the Demon King knew nothing about.”
The Wishful Gourd tried claiming credit: “That was us.”
Li Er pushed it away: “I discovered those through spiritual sense scanning. You were Demon King over two days yet knew nothing about your own castle.”
“Do you still want to visit the Beast Nation?”
“…Fine, we discovered them together.”
“Since it’s an array problem, let’s consult an expert.” Jiang Li contacted Bai Hongtu.
“Old Bai, you busy?”
Through the Communication Talisman, they saw Bai Hongtu using the One Qi Transforming Three Pure Ones technique – three clones simultaneously moving mountains, reclaiming land, and planting trees with the dignified bearing of a Tribulation Transcendence Stage expert.
“Sect Master, what trees should we plant here?”
“Any that produce diarrhea-inducing hawthorns?”
“…No.”
“Then plant whatever, just no hawthorns.”
After giving instructions, Bai Hongtu responded:
“Not too busy.”