eurekapd Chapter 177 Ancient Battlefield Ruins
Chapter 177 Ancient Battlefield Ruins
Deep within that magnificent yet turbulent demon palace, the prison where Consort Li was imprisoned was filled with a suffocating atmosphere of oppression.
In the dark and damp cell, the walls reeked of decay, and a chill seeped up from the floor, causing Consort Li to shiver.
Her once radiant face was now filled with haggardness and despair. Her once meticulously styled hair was now disheveled, with a few strands hanging limply beside her pale cheeks.
In the main hall of the palace, the King's order was like a bombshell, instantly plunging the entire demon race into chaos.
Those members of the Bashe tribe who came to attend the wedding banquet were originally immersed in the festive atmosphere, but without warning they were surrounded by guards and forcibly taken to prison.
Their faces were filled with shock and anger. They kept shouting and questioning what was going on, but all they got in response was the cold clanging of iron chains and the indifferent eyes of the guards.
Meanwhile, in the distant territory of the Bashe tribe, in an ancient and mysterious hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed to drip water.
Huge animal skin paintings hung on the walls of the hall, depicting the heroic deeds and mysterious totems of the ancestors of the Bashe tribe. In the dim light, these paintings seemed to come alive, coldly watching everything that happened in the hall.
Li Fei's father, Ao Kun, who was also the patriarch of the Bashe tribe, was sitting at the head of the hall. His face was terribly gloomy, and his eyes revealed deep worry and helplessness.
Ao Kun slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over every clansman present. He saw that each of them had a gloomy expression, as if they were about to face a catastrophe.
A young warrior of the Bashe tribe suddenly stood up, his eyes burning with rage, and roared, "Fight them! If our ancestors hadn't been injured and unconscious, the position of Demon King would never have fallen to the Fire Phoenix tribe! Now that they've treated us like this, we can't just sit here and wait to die!"
His voice echoed in the hall, stirring up a wave of resonance. Other clansmen joined in, and for a moment, the hall was filled with angry shouts.
Looking at the emotionally charged people of his tribe, Ao Kun sighed softly, his eyes revealing a hint of weariness and helplessness.
He slowly began to speak: “Children, I understand your anger and resentment, but we must calm down. Think about it, if we really fight them, with our current strength, what are our chances of winning? If our people fight them, they will be powerless to fight back, and all that awaits us is the fate of our clan being wiped out.”
His words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the anger in the hearts of the clansmen. The hall fell silent, with only heavy breathing remaining.
Ao Kun paused for a moment, then continued, "We can't just sit here and wait to die. We must find a way out. You should know that we had some dealings with the Demon Clan before. Now, we have nowhere else to turn. Perhaps we can only seek their help. Only with the support of the Demon Clan will we have a chance to take back everything that belongs to us."
Upon hearing the clan leader's words, the clansmen displayed complex expressions. Some hesitated, while others showed fear. After all, colluding with the demons was undoubtedly playing with fire, but at this critical juncture of life and death, they seemed to have no other choice.
"But Chieftain, surrendering to the Demon Clan is like asking a tiger for its skin!" an elder of the clan said worriedly. "What if the Demon Clan betrays us? Won't we all be doomed?"
The clan chief was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I know the risks involved, but we have no other choice. We can only take a gamble and hope that the demons will keep their promise. As for the Holy Maiden..."
His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, and a trace of pain and reluctance flashed in his eyes. "I have no choice but to give up on my daughter, Consort Li. For the future of the entire Bashe tribe, she must make a sacrifice."
Upon hearing the clan chief's words, the hall fell silent. The clansmen all lowered their heads, their hearts filled with helplessness and sorrow. They knew that in the face of this cruel reality, personal emotions seemed so insignificant.
Consort Li, once a beloved member of the Bashe clan, has now become an outcast of her family. Her fate will become even more unpredictable in this dark prison.
Meanwhile, in the demon clan's palace, King Tai was sitting in his study, his brow furrowed as he pondered what to do next. He knew that the Bashe clan would never let this go, and they would definitely try every means to retaliate.
The Demon Clan, a mysterious and powerful force, has always coveted the Monster Clan. Now, the Bashe Clan may very well side with the Demon Clan, which would undoubtedly pose an even greater threat to the Monster Clan.
"Your Majesty, how should we handle the matter of the Bashe tribe?" an advisor asked cautiously.
The King of Thailand raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said, “Closely monitor the actions of the Bashe tribe, strengthen the palace’s defenses, and send people to investigate the relationship between the Bashe tribe and the Demon Clan. We must prepare in advance to prevent them from joining forces against us. As for Consort Li, keep her under strict guard. We will make a decision after the Demon King awakens.”
"Yes, King Qin," the strategist replied and withdrew, leaving King Qin alone in his study, lost in thought.
Amidst this rapidly changing situation, the future of the demon race is fraught with uncertainty.
In the demon palace bathed in the gentle moonlight, Jiang Jingzhi and Mu Zhusheng were granted a quiet and elegant private courtyard for their great merit in successfully rescuing the demon king.
The courtyard was small, but exquisite in every detail. It was filled with exotic flowers and plants, which were swaying gently in the breeze and emitting a sweet fragrance. A winding path led through the courtyard to an ancient wooden pavilion, which, under the hazy moonlight, resembled a tranquil ink painting.
Xu Xiaoxiao and Lan Ji followed their two senior brothers into this world with great joy. As soon as Xu Xiaoxiao entered the courtyard, she was like a happy little deer, skipping and jumping on the path, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Wow, Senior Brother, this courtyard is so beautiful! I never thought we could stay in such a nice place after coming to the Demon Realm." Her clear and melodious voice broke the tranquility of the night.
Jiang Jingzhi looked at her with a smile, his eyes full of doting: "Stop fooling around, be careful not to fall."
Mu Zhusheng smiled and shook his head, his smile warm and friendly: "Junior Sister, you're still so lively."
The group entered the pavilion, where bright candles had already been lit, casting a warm yellow light that made the entire room cozy and soft.
The group sat around an old-fashioned wooden table, which was laden with fresh fruit and fragrant tea, the aroma of which filled the air.
Xu Xiaoxiao couldn't wait to speak: "Senior brothers, you have no idea how many dangerous things Lan Ji and I have been through during this time!"
As she spoke, she gestured animatedly, her eyes sparkling with life, while Lan Ji nodded gently beside her.
Jiang Jingzhi listened attentively, a concerned expression on his face: "Is Xiaoxiao hurt?"
Xu Xiaoxiao quickly waved her hand: "It's all thanks to Grandpa Turtle. This bead that conceals my identity was also a gift from him. I'll have to trouble my two senior brothers to thank him for me later."
Then, Xu Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "Senior brothers, what about you? Tell me quickly how you found the Demon King and how you cured him?"
Mu Zhusheng cleared her throat and began to recount their experience: "After we learned that the Demon King was seriously ill, we kept trying to find a way. Later, we found out some clues and learned the location of the Demon King's palace. While everyone was celebrating at the banquet, we secretly sneaked into the palace."
His voice was steady and powerful as he recounted the tense atmosphere of the time: "The demon king was in very bad condition, his face was pale and his breath was weak. So the senior brother gathered his spiritual power to try to drive away the evil energy that was eroding his demon core. The evil energy was very stubborn and fiercely resisted the senior brother's spiritual power, but the senior brother finally succeeded thanks to his superb spiritual power control skills."
Xu Xiaoxiao listened intently, her eyes filled with admiration: "Senior Brother, you're really amazing!"
Jiang Jingzhi smiled and said, "This is also thanks to my junior brother's help. He even refined the Gathering Yuan and Replenishing Spirit Pill, which allowed the Demon King to turn the tide."
The group chatted amongst themselves, sharing their experiences. Sometimes they were tense over thrilling plots, and other times they laughed heartily at funny things. Before they knew it, time had quietly slipped away, and the moon outside the window had already climbed up the treetops.
Seeing Xu Xiaoxiao so close to her two senior brothers, Lan Ji couldn't help but feel a little emotional: "I really envy you two, having such a deep friendship."
Xu Xiaoxiao quickly grabbed her hand: "Lan Ji, you're also my good friend. My senior brother is your senior brother too."
A hint of emotion flashed in Lan Ji's eyes, and she nodded gently.
Jiang Jingzhi looked at Xu Xiaoxiao, who was still so straightforward, and could only indulge her helplessly: "Although the Demon King is temporarily out of danger, the conspiracy behind him has not been fully revealed yet, and the Bashe Clan may also make a move. We must be careful."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Jiang Jingzhi, looking at his smiling junior sister, added, "The spiritual energy here is abundant. Xiaoxiao, you can't let your cultivation fall behind."
Xu Xiaoxiao smiled sheepishly and said, "Okay, starting today I will make the most of my time to cultivate and become stronger." She hadn't really cultivated much during this period, but thankfully her senior brother reminded her.
While waiting for the Demon King to awaken, they did not slack off in the slightest and decided to go to the ancient battlefield ruins of the demon race to explore more clues.
This site is where the human and demon races fought a war tens of thousands of years ago. Legend has it that powerful cultivators and outstanding demons perished one after another, with countless deaths and injuries. Heaven could not bear it and transformed the cultivation of the fallen warriors from both worlds into a barrier, so that the two worlds would not interfere with each other from then on.
As they stepped into the area, a chilling aura swept over them, and the air was filled with a strong sword intent. Even after ten thousand years, this sword intent remained powerful, sending shivers down their spines, enough to imagine the brutality and intensity of that war.
Xu Xiaoxiao gripped the sword tightly, her eyes filled with a mixture of tension and excitement: "Senior Brother, the sword intent here is so strong, it feels like I can inhale sword energy with every breath I take."
Jiang Jingzhi's expression was solemn, and he nodded slightly: "Everyone, be careful. Although this battlefield has weathered the years, the residual power is still not to be underestimated. There may be other lingering malevolent energy."
Mu Zhusheng looked around and saw that the ground was covered with huge cracks, as if it had been torn apart by a powerful force. In the distance, there were still a few broken walls and ruins, swaying in the wind, seemingly telling the tragic story of that year.
"Back then, this place must have been awash in blood, and countless heroes must have been buried here forever," he murmured.
Lan Ji's eyes were filled with awe as she cautiously walked forward. Suddenly, a sword aura whistled past her, severing a strand of her hair.
"Ah!" Lan Ji exclaimed and took a few steps back.
Xu Xiaoxiao quickly stepped forward to support her: "Lan Ji, are you alright?" Lan Ji's face was a little pale, and she shook her head: "I'm fine, I was just frightened."
Jiang Jingzhi stepped forward, gathering spiritual energy in his hands in an attempt to resist the surrounding sword energy. He discovered that these sword energies seemed to have their own consciousness and were constantly attacking them.
"Everyone, stay close together and don't scatter. These sword energies are very troublesome. Let's work together to figure out a way to deal with them."
The group approached each other and stood back to back. Mu Zhusheng took out several talismans from her bosom and chanted incantations. The talismans instantly ignited, turning into beams of light to resist the surrounding sword energy. However, the sword energy was too powerful, and the light of the talismans gradually dimmed.
Seeing this, Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, mobilized the spiritual power in her body, and the sword in her hand flashed with dazzling light. She shouted and swung out a sword shadow, which collided with the surrounding sword energy and produced a violent roar.
"I refuse to believe that we can't deal with these remaining sword energies!" Her eyes were firm and full of fighting spirit.
Jiang Jingzhi looked at Xu Xiaoxiao, feeling both gratified and worried. He knew that his junior sister's strength was constantly improving, but the dangers of this ancient battlefield far exceeded his imagination.
He increased his spiritual energy output, combining it with the power of Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng to form a powerful defensive barrier that temporarily blocked the sword energy attack.
In the fierce battle, Lan Ji did not back down. She closed her eyes, silently chanted a spell, and quickly formed hand seals.
A moment later, a circle of green light appeared around her. These lights, like agile sprites, neutralized the approaching sword energy one by one.
"I can help too!" Lan Ji's voice was soft, but full of strength.
The group worked together to hold off the remaining sword energy from the ancient battlefield. Jiang Jingzhi suddenly had a brilliant idea: to refine them into sword energy balls and put them in a box made of cold iron.
"Senior Brother, your method is good. This sword balloon is even more powerful than a top-grade explosive talisman. Let's collect more." Xu Xiaoxiao tried the sword balloon and was very satisfied with the effect.
Xu Xiaoxiao, Mu Zhusheng, and Lan Ji worked even harder to gather their sword energy together, while Jiang Jingzhi was responsible for refining it into a sphere.
After an unknown amount of time, the robes of the group were torn to shreds, and their exposed skin bore fine scars. Jiang Jingzhi, disregarding everyone's wishes, also transformed them into sword spheres, filling every box he could carry.
"Keep these in your storage rings. You can use them if you encounter any danger. Be careful when using them." Jiang Jingzhi gave each of them eight boxes and kept two boxes for himself.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at the spoils in her storage ring and flashed a smile, revealing her eight teeth. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
Jiang Jingzhi affectionately pinched her nose. "I'll give you these two boxes too. Hurry up and get yourself ready, then we'll continue on our way." He didn't need these things; his own attribute was lightning and fire, and his power was considerable. He'd rather give them to this little thing to make her happy.
Mu Zhusheng was a little surprised to see this scene. When did his senior brother smile so gently? He must have seen wrong.
Lan Ji looked at her share and felt especially happy. It contained her own efforts, and she would bring some to show Grandpa Turtle later.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked at the two more boxes in her arms, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter, just like a cat that had just stolen some fish.