Ch. 1331 - Death of Hellfire Asura

“What is wind?” the Ancestral Warden began. “It is the meeting of heaven and earth, the product of the sun’s lingering warmth and the movement of air. It is said that the Godfiend Abyss Heaven was once nearly destroyed by a single storm. That storm was caused by none other than the Wind God, Tianwu.”

“Later, Tianwu vanished without a trace, just like the other Ancient Gods, evaporated from the Nine Heavens as though they had never existed. No one knows where they went. Tens of thousands of years later, another world-ending storm broke out in the Godfiend Abyss Heaven. People believed that Tianwu had returned. But upon investigation, it was discovered that the storm was not caused by Tianwu himself, but by a group of his descendants who carried the bloodline of the Wind God.”

“What happened to those descendants?” Xu Zimo asked.

“They were hunted down and forced into hiding,” the Ancestral Warden replied. “After that, there were no more cataclysmic storms. Over time, those descendants were forgotten.”

“That’s troublesome,” Xu Zimo said quietly. “The Godfiend Abyss Heaven is too vast. Without a clear lead, searching for them would be like finding a needle in the sea.”

“It is indeed difficult,” the Ancestral Warden admitted. “But we can go to the last place where those descendants were seen. Perhaps we’ll find a clue.”

“Where is that?” Xu Zimo asked.

“Skywind Valley,” the Ancestral Warden said after a moment’s thought. The name seemed almost forgotten to him, as though buried deep in memory.

“What does my lord seek from the Ancient Gods?” the Ancestral Warden asked curiously.

“The exiled Ancient Demons trapped within the Primordial Demon Cave need the inheritance of an Ancient God to break their seals,” Xu Zimo said directly, not hiding anything.

“Oh! So my lord has been working all along for the revival of our race,” the Ancestral Warden said in realization, his tone filled with respect and relief. “I am willing to give my life for the Demon Race.”

“No need for oaths of loyalty,” Xu Zimo smiled, waving his hand. “We’re all the same. I’m lenient with my own people. As for this Ancient Demon Realm, it’s finished. If Hellfire Asura wishes to keep running away from reality, let him run for the rest of his life.”

He turned and began walking toward the edge of the Ancient Demon Realm, the Ancestral Warden following close behind.

With a native like the Ancestral Warden to guide him, Xu Zimo needed no map.

Skywind Valley was not located in the southern region but, according to the Ancestral Warden, lay somewhere in the poorer northern territories.

The Ancient Demons had their own teleportation formations, so the journey wouldn’t take long.

During the flight, Xu Zimo asked about the current influence of the Demon Race.

As the Ancestral Warden explained, it was just as Xu Zimo had suspected. Though the Ancient Demons no longer ruled the Godfiend Abyss Heaven openly, they secretly maintained influence within many of its major powers.

“That certainly saves us a great deal of trouble,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

“But we’ll need to move before the Heavenly Court does,” the Ancestral Warden replied. “If word spreads that the Ancient Demon Realm has been destroyed, all of the Godfiend Abyss Heaven will likely be hunting for us.”

“True. For now, we can’t confront the Heavenly Court directly,” Xu Zimo said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “But one day, we will crush them.”

Ancestral Warden nodded solemnly.

They arrived at the Ancient Demon Realm’s teleportation formation, a large circular altar inscribed with glowing runes, surrounded by arcs of violet lightning.

“This is the Thunder Resonance Formation,” the Ancestral Warden explained. “Among teleportation formations, it is one of the fastest. It was left to us by an ancient Grand Emperor of the Demon Race.”

Xu Zimo nodded. Standing side by side atop the formation, the Ancestral Warden raised his right hand and activated the formation.

Their destination, Skywind Valley.

The faint blue arcs of lightning instantly flared, exploding into violent thunder. Countless bolts of lightning surged outward, engulfing the entire formation before swallowing both of their figures.

Moments later, they were gone.

Not long after their departure, faint footsteps echoed from the distance.

A man in red robes approached, his expression solemn, his aura powerful, yet subdued.

He knelt before the teleportation formation and bowed three times.

It was unclear whether his reverence was for the formation itself or for the two who had just departed.

Soon after Xu Zimo’s departure, the skies over the Ancient Demon Realm began to tremble violently.

Something immense was descending.

Sensing it, the red-robed man looked up, his eyes narrowing.

“So… it has come at last,” he murmured.

This time, he did not run. Instead, he stepped onto the tallest peak of the Ancient Demon Realm, closest to the heavens, where one could see the entire land.

The once-glorious and vast Ancient Demon Realm now lay silent and desolate, its vitality drained away.

The red-robed man sighed deeply.

He had spent millions of years scheming for peace and stability, only to see it all crumble in an instant.

The shaking of the skies grew more intense, until it felt as though the entire sky were about to collapse.

Finally, with a deafening explosion, the firmament shattered. A blinding divine light poured through the cracks.

He looked up but did not move.

Descending from the heavens came a massive celestial warship the size of a sun, far larger than any seen before.

Around it floated countless planet-sized vessels, each brimming with immense divine power.

As they appeared, the void itself froze. The world seemed locked in stillness.

From the great warship descended a man clad in battle armor. His face was stern and resolute, his brows thick, his eyes sharp as blades, so sharp that few dared meet his gaze.

The armored man saw the red-robed figure standing atop the mountain and paused, slightly surprised, before taking a single step forward.

In that instant, thousands of meters vanished between them.

“Hellfire Asura,” the armored man smiled. “I thought you would’ve fled with the others.”

“The peace we agreed upon once,” said the red-robed man, Hellfire Asura, the true ruler of the Ancient Demon Realm for eons, “it was your Heavenly Court that broke it.”

“Peace?” The armored man laughed coldly with disdain. “Peace was nothing more than a comforting illusion for the weak. Did you really think your kind was worthy to negotiate terms with us?”

“Yes,” Hellfire Asura said softly, nodding. “I was indeed too naive. The Heavenly Court would never allow our Ancient Demon Race any peace. You’re nothing but lapdogs of Heaven himself.”

“You stayed behind to die, didn’t you?” the armored man said with a sneer. “Very well, let me grant your wish.”

“Yes, I stayed to die,” Hellfire Asura said quietly. “But before I go... I intend to make the Heavenly Court pay dearly.”

He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, his voice calm. “Perhaps this… is the best final contribution I can make to the Demon Race.”

When he finished speaking, he raised his right hand, then plunged it into his own chest.

His fingers tore through flesh and bone, and he ripped out his own heart.

The heart was black, wrapped in writhing infernal energy.

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